Partisan
by jd3
Summary: Izuku Midoriya, at 11 years old was just living his life when a villain attacked and changed his life forever. Izuku takes revenge. How will Izuku pursue it? Go with Izuku through a whole lot.
1. Walking Nightmare

**AN**

**Sup! **

**I'm a first time writer, so I'm all for constructive criticism to help me because I know I'm going to need it. **

**I don't expect this to be popular at all, it is just that my mind keeps coming up with scenarios that I think are really cool and/or ****interesting and I want to pursue them, honestly because having them stuck in my brain is making me restless.**

** Please tell me what's wrong and what's right with this so far so that I can become a better writer and put out better content. **

**Not all exclamation points mean that they are necessarily shouting or increasing the volume of there voice in any way. The exclamation point just signifies that there is more emotion in what the character is saying. **

**Enjoy!  
...**

There was a quiet knock on the oak wood door in the secluded hallway. Nothing more than a quick rap of the knuckles.

An intense silence filled the air and replaced the noise that the figure behind the door made. After a calculated couple of seconds a deep, male, precise and commanding voice urged the fellow sinful soul to come through the barrier separating them.

"_Nightmare_, please do come in, I have waited for your arrival."

The being now known as Nightmare entered the door with a sluggish pace until they were situated behind a chair opposite of the man in charge.

"Sorry I had some... _subjects_ to deal with because they wouldn't submit! Ah, but that's for another time. You needed me for something?" A voice responded to the person, which now can be declared as male because of his deep gravelly voice.

"I do indeed need you for something, but first I must ask. No costume change?"

Nightmare took a second to blink at the man and look down towards his own outfit. Nightmare personally liked his appearance, with his shiny bald head, thick circular glasses which were actually useless but hey, he liked them so whatever.

Lower on his body was the pitch black and shaggy jumpsuit he donned which he will admit, to the untrained eye looks eerily similar to a pair of pajamas but, in actuality, they were his workout clothes, that double as his all the time clothes.

Over the jumpsuit was his favorite coat, the classic white lab coat. It may be generic but he loved it so much. Especially the spots he spiced up to make it unique to him, like the name tag over his right breast with his name 'NIGHTMARE' in all capital letters and his trimmed cuffs to expose his milky white and calloused hands more.

He didn't really care for shoes so usually, he traversed around barefoot but when the situation calls for it he likes simple white or black sneakers with velcro laces. Velcro because who has time to tie their shoes when they can just strap them! But alas barefoot was what Nightmare sported as of now because he was in a rush, as to not be later than he already was to meet with the man in charge.

In Nightmare's opinion, his getup is one of the best out there but he understands the man's concern, considering the whole thing was littered with holes from head to toe.

"No, I like it."

The man in the chair couldn't help but sigh at the attitude of his subordinate and feelings of attachment towards his ridiculous outfit.

"Very well then, let's get back on topic," the man started but paused and narrowed his eyes towards the underling, at least Nightmare thought he was narrowing his eyes, for dramatic effect and so that Nightmare understood the significance of his next words. The narrowing of the eyes (again Nightmare just had a hunch but what else would the man do saying it like this) was an obvious implication that there would be punishment for incompletion of what it was that he wanted. "I presume you know of _The Scorcher _and his family_, _yes?

Nightmare started to nod his head in response that yes, he did know the irritating man but the last part him by surprise. So as to indicate his confusion he tilted his head to the side somewhat and raised a thin eyebrow upwards.

"Ah so you know of him but not the family. Well, he has a wife and a child. The wife is a rather loving woman and the child is like a ray of sunshine even though anyone else in his situation would be reasonably depressed, but enough about their personalities that is not what you need to know..."

Nightmare waited patiently as the man shuffled his hands around his desk and collected papers to put in a folder.

He honestly didn't know how he was moving his hands with such accuracy seeing as to how the man's mask fully covered his eyes but who knows, maybe there is a different type of material over his eyes that let him see. Either that or it was the work of a quirk. Once the man finished collecting the papers he neatly set them in front of him and motioned Nightmare forward.

Nightmare hesitantly trudged towards the desk. When Nightmare was close the man continued talking.

The man slid the folder over to Nightmare. "What you need to know is all in that file right there. I expect satisfactory work."

"Of course, is my work ever unsatisfactory? So what is it that you want me to do."

The air around the man switched to straight malice and he chose to talk lower and deeper as he responded. "Kill the women and burn the apartment down, leave no trace of it or her!"

"And the child? What shall I do with it?" inquired Nightmare because he was eager to get a new subject to practice and test with and this was a perfect opportunity. All Nightmare could hope for was that he was told that he could do whatever he wanted with the child.

"Do whatever you want with it, but make sure that it is never a threat to me, am I clear?"

"Crystal!" Nightmare was happy, no ecstatic at his situation right now, not only does he get to brutally murder a helpless woman but he also gets a subject to do whatever he wants with. For Nightmare, this is the best day ever!

Nightmare was going to collect the documents when a thought came to him.

Why?

Why would this man actually want something like this done?

The man was far from civil but even this was an outlier to his normal behavior.

"Wait, how come your going through all this trouble for some riff-raff anyways."

Nightmare knew he was out of line asking this question but he was the one completing the assignment so doesn't he get to know this information.

It couldn't hurt to ask, either the man tells him why or the man doesn't. It wasn't like the man would kill him after going through all this trouble and he does have a rather high success rate.

Once the words left Nightmare's lips he instantly regretted. Not because he was hurt in any way but because the man across from him not only got angrier but the malice chart skyrocket. The man's entire body tensed until it looked like it would pop.

The amount of malice he was generating caused Nightmare's eyes to show utter and complete fear, for his throat to gulp without his consent and his whole being to shiver. Nightmare wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, forget about the question.

The man spoke in with a blood-curdling voice. That would cause any fearful child to piss their pants.

"Let's just say he has been ignoring me for a while and he's doing it on purpose! I taught him not to ignore me last time but I guess he forgot all the lessons, so it's time for another one. He **will** respect me!"

Nightmare was too stunned to really process those words that the moment. He jerkily nodded his head repeatedly. Even if he had processed those words he knows that they would only trigger some more questions and if he wanted to live, no more questions were to be asked.

So as fast as his lanky legs could carry him he exited the room, took a right at the end of the corridor, entered a bar and took off straight out the front door without a word. He didn't stop until he was sure he was not going to be the next person to encounter that man and maybe incur his wrath.

* * *

The only thing Nightmare knew was he needed a nap as quick as can be and hopefully forget all about the ending portion of his meeting with that man.

Nightmare guessed that the meeting had drained him even more so than he thought because he had slept an entire day! He knew he had better get started with his assignment but that man has an unsaid rule were everything must be complete within a week unless stated otherwise. So he has plenty of time!

Nightmare really had no clue as to how the rule came about but he had a few theories. One, maybe for a long period of time the man just kept giving out missions to all his clients where they had a week time deadline and eventually, everyone just assumed that was the criteria for all missions. Two, the man literally told everyone at the beginning of his supremacy that all assignments will have a week deadline unless said otherwise, and the rule was passed down until it wasn't even questioned anymore. Three, everyone has been conveniently completing the jobs within a week since the beginning and now everyone just assumes a week is the deadline. Out of all the theories, numbers one and three are his favorites and most probable choices because honestly number two would make the man just plain weird.

Either way Nightmare now only has 6 days left to complete the job and he has a lot of materials to get. Like gasoline and matches or maybe a lighter to start the fire. Also, he needs a machete, no he has that already, umm... a chainsaw maybe? Nope has that too.

Whatever so maybe all he needs is gasoline and matches, but so what this is hard work like figuring out a time when they're all at home.

Oh, wait, probably in the middle of the night he can just burst in through the front door and do the deeds. Or he can go the silent route, in that case, he'll need a lockpick.

The frontal attack it is!

Who wants to buy a lockpick? Not Nightmare that's who!

This is looking good for Nightmare he should probably go get that gasoline and matches right now or he can sleep some more... He has 6 days, sleep it is!

Ok, maybe sleeping wasn't the best choice because now he only has 4 days left to complete the job and no gasoline or matches in sight.

But first, breakfast. Usually, Nightmare likes to feed of off screams of total despair (clichè as hell right but actually though) but he is out of subjects so a simple burger from a local fast food shop works fine.

A burger because he can picture and practically feel the screams of the cow as it was getting slaughtered to pieces to become the juicy slab of meat on his tongue.

It takes him a while to digest all those screams so he just relaxes at an arcade near the zombie machine. The zombie machine has a tendency to make children scream of fear. It also has that weird grumbling noise zombies make which is oddly satisfying, if Nightmare has a say.

The bright moon was starting to peak its head up by the time Nightmare remembered he had plans and things to do today.

He quickly exited the stupid, but the admittedly fun revolving door and strode to the nearest hardware store.

Once he entered the store he immediately knew where to find what he was looking for. He was a regular customer here. They have so many torture devices! He meant building tools, building tools. But he didn't recognize the new worker that the front counter.

The store was situated in 5 rows with the cashier counter near the entrance of the building in a sizable alcove. The gasoline and matches were in the 4th row so Nightmare made a beeline for what he needed until he came across a black and white bowie knife in the 2nd row that looked perfect for licking someone or somethings blood off of so he added that to his shopping pile.

Moving to his original destination he found the gasoline, the infamous red jerry can. Easy purchase right there.

Continuing on to the next thing in his list, matches. The matches were easy to find because the store was relatively organized. But instead of focusing on the matches he needed, his eyes kept glancing at the lighters. Something in him was telling him lighters would be much better, so he grabbed a handful of them and proceeded to the cashier.

Nightmare unceremoniously and nonchalantly places all his (deadly) items and waited for the price to come up.

It was obvious the worker was hesitant to let one man buy all this but it wasn't in his power to question it so he just did his job.

"A bowie knife, jerry can, and 4 lighters. Anything else, sir?"

It was clear the student worker wanted to go home and sleep or maybe do homework or a little bit of studying. Nightmare didn't know nor care. Nightmare could have easily just killed the dude and stole his items but even though he is a very sinister being, he still pays for his things. Who doesn't?

"Nah."

The worker bagged up all the items and handed it to the creepy man and was about to go back to playing on his phone before he remembered that he had to say certain things before the customer left or he might get a deduction from his pay if someone caught him slacking.

"Come again please."

The only response the boy got was the chime of the bell hooked up to the door signaling it opened and closed.

Nightmare finally got back to what he likes to call his 'Laboratory' when in reality it was just an abandoned building in a desolate part of town.

He dropped his bag on the floor and hopped on the couch to sleep. No need to change, his clothes double as pajamas.

* * *

Nightmare knows he has 3 days left but he's growing restless. So he decides that the man won't be upset if he completes his mission early, right. The saying 'Better early than late' right? Threes days early never hurt anybody.

Except maybe the woman he's going to kill and the kid that's going to become a subject but the irrelevant. Now Nightmare is off to the apartment complex that houses Scorcher's wife and kid.

It took him a while to find the building but he eventually found it. He walked through the building until he found the door and figured the layout of the whole building so he can make a quick escape.

Personally, he could care less if the whole building burns down with the one apartment but it would cost him more money to buy jerry cans and more time.

Nightmare exited the building and waited in an alleyway nearby until the day turned to night and became dark. That was when it was his time to strike.

With his bowie knife, and lighters in his utility belt and the jerry can in his hands he entered the building. Climbed the steps one by one until he reached the door that he had identified as the targets home.

He braced himself.

With a set countdown in his head, he started up his charge.

Three!

Two!

_One!_

On one he buried his left shoulder into the door and took it right off the hinges.

With no time to spare he untwisted the cap on the jerry can and with shocking speed wet everything.

Everything within sight was wet with fluid.

The carpet, the couch, the chairs, the shoes, everything Nightmare saw he wanted to burn. He needed everything to burn to succeed with his mission.

Just as the jerry can be emptied he heard rushed footsteps. Chucking the can down the hall he prepared for his main target.

The pudgy women entered the room with wide terror-filled eyes that immediately started to water.

Nightmare wasn't sure if it was because of his presence alone or the shit-eating grin plastered across his face, but either way, he didn't care. He was just too damn blessed at the moment to care.

The woman screamed.

He lunged.

The first stab forced a painful shriek from her throat. Nightmare could have let it be a merciful death but he had plans.

He put his palm over her face, covering every inch with his massive hand and used his quirk. Immediately a dark red gas-like substance was emitted from his hand and pushed into all access areas on the woman's face. Within seconds the screams harshness and intensity doubled.

Nightmare was done with her, for now. He will get back to her later but for now, he has to make sure that this whole place burns.

He got up from his crouched position and unclipped one of his newly bought lighters. Nightmare flicked it on and off just to admire the flame for a minute before flinging it into the wettest area of the apartment.

He knows he only has about 5 or so minutes before the whole place is engulfed in flames but that's plenty of time for what he wants.

Now all he has to do is have fun with the dying woman and wait until the child comes down to witness true terror.

Nobody escapes Nightmare!

**...**

**So, how I do? **

**I know it may be a little confusing but I tried to leave enough clues so that everyone knows who the people are without me really having to say. **

**Any skills I need to work on or better yet anything grammar wise to fix. I went back and re-read the whole thing to check for mistakes but hey, nobody is perfect. So just correct me and I'll go back and fix it and try my best next chapter. **

**I bet it's obvious but anybody wants to guess as to what is happening right now?**

**Oh yeah, not entirely sure what's in a jerry can besides the fact that it's highly flammable so heh**

**I bet I'm talking to nobody here but whatever :)**

**Any and all comments are appreciated, except for excessively hateful ones those are just uncalled for.**

**Next chapter coming soon!**

**I hope you enjoyed it and review!**


	2. Impending Nightmare

**skystar99: I hope I don't let you down :)**

**Kyodon: Me too? heh**

**Naowt: Thanks! I felt that last time a bit too much so I toned it down a bit (or maybe a lot?) but I still like this. Try something different I guess, I'm not like a experienced writer or anything so gotta try new things but your words were like the perfect constructive criticism, I really want to try harder now! And I just want to say I really love "A Way to Fall". Hope you finish that!**

**HankFlamion18: Two peas in a pod! ;) And thanks!**

**MIKE202303: Nice!**

**ImSoBored246: Thanks for the kind words! No sleep gets to us all. **

**MiseryWolf97: In due time... In due time... Kukuku**

**Johnny Spectre: I am honored!**

**Everything aside, thank you to everyone that followed, favorited and reviewed. Your words are appreciated! :)**

**…**

Izuku was ready to just leave the brown box on the ground before a choked sob came out from inside.

Izuku froze.

He strained his ears to make sure what he heard was real. A few moments later the noise came again.

"Is this box crying!?"

Rapidly opening the flaps of the cardboard box Izuku peered inside to make sure he wasn't hearing things.

What he opened the box to shocked him to his core. His breath hitched in his throat and his eyes blinked hurriedly as he tried to understand what was going on.

Inside the middle of the box laid a baby!

The baby was sleeping so maybe it was sleep... crying? Was that a thing?

Clad in nothing but it's skin. From what Izuku could see it was most definitely a baby girl. She had a tuft of light bluish white hair on top of her pale skinned head. The hair had a distinct line down the middle. Next to the clump of hair was a small protruding piece of skin. Similar to the very early stages of a horn. Near her head laid a small beige note.

Carefully reaching inside as to not wake the baby he lifted the note up to eye level and opened it. Once it was open he began to read what was written on the note.

_Dear Izuku, _

_ We have left you with a gift. Hope you like it! Well mainly because either you take care of her or she dies. You must raise her, no one else or she dies. Hahaha! We have plans for you, dear Izuku._

_Her name is Eri. You can give her whatever last name, don't really care. Birthday is December 21st. Hope you enjoy! Oh and P.S. When her quirk manifests, villains will be coming. I can promise that!_

_From, Me_

Izuku read and reread the letter over and over again trying to get a grasp at what was happening to him. He had to list off the sequence of events that led up to his predicament right now.

He was walking home from his time-consuming jobs late at night, he turned the corner onto a surprisingly busy street. A man with a horn and blue eyes bumped into him and dumped the box in his hands. Inside said box was a child! And a note saying he had to raise it!

This was too much for the almost thirteen year old. He had to sit down.

Izuku only realized that he had walked to his home during that whole time when he set the box down on his bed and dropped into his chair. she had been so lost in thought he made it home based on muscle memory.

He was thinking about what he's going to do. He knew how to take care of himself, he's had plenty of time to learn how to do that but taking care of a baby. He had no idea what he was going to do.

He knew babies needed diapers and food and a lot more necessities but how was he even supposed to take care of this child and do the things required for him to live. He had to go to work to pay for things and now he also had to pay for her things too.

He rolled over to his desk and lightly tapped his forehead against the wood. It produced a small thud as he quietly released a breath through his nose.

He needed to come up with a list of things to do and his priorities.

He needed to keep his job but also had no way to go to work and take care of her.

He had to go to school but he had no one to watch her while he went. He would rather not go but a bad attendance record would probably be a hindrance for him when he tried to get into U.A.

He had to find out what exactly a baby needs to survive. What's good for the baby girl and what wasn't.

How much money would he have to spend on her? He would probably have to get another job because from what he heard from his coworkers that were mothers babies weren't cheap. That meant even less time to actually be there watching the child.

Right now his brain is working more than it had worked in a while. It kind of made him excited to finally have something spur of the moment to challenge his intellect. He is by no means a genius but when he already knows what the teachers are teaching in school nothing really challenged him anymore.

He tackled each problem one by one.

How old was the child? The note left by what was probably her birth father had said her birthday was December 21st. Izuku suspected it was her father because he had a similar horn type thing atop his head from what Izuku could see. He was 90% sure that pathetic man was the father. How he could just leave a child to a complete stranger baffled him. A four month year old no less!

Izuku looked at the note once again. It had addressed him specifically. How did the man know him, know his first name no less? Izuku couldn't remember meeting anyone with the characteristics he had. The note also said that "We have plans for you." _We? _ So it wasn't just him by himself, someone else was in on this. Perhaps the mother? No wait it said "From, Me", he knew a certain person that always wrote that on their letters. But why and how the hell is she involved in this? She could never just leave him only could she?

Izuku was worried by how the note mentioned villains coming after her. But if it involved who he thinks it involves then he wouldn't be surprised but what would her quirk have to do with it? Was she like a super early recruit? Either way, her quirk could potentially be advantageous for villains seeing how they had their sights on someone that couldn't even speak yet.

Even without the threat, there was no way in hell that he was abandoning her. Izuku won't let her experience abandonment. No one should have to experience _ever_.

He needed to clear his head and think about the other problems at hand. Like his jobs and the extra potential extra job, he might have to find.

He had to find a baby sitter. He didn't know many trustworthy people. Let alone mothers that would know what they're doing.

The only he could think of was Mitsuki that lived upstairs but she was on vacation right now and she would be gone for about two weeks. So until then, he would have to find a way to take care of the child for the next two weeks without work or school.

He had enough sick days stacked up from both jobs that he could miss about two weeks worth of work and his both of his bosses were kind enough to still pay him so that was a win. He would call in and alert his employers that he would be out.

Izuku didn't want to explain the real situation to them because either they wouldn't care too much or adamantly tell him to go to the police. They were good people but … he'd rather not. Izuku could do this. He took care of himself and he could take care of her with a little help from the stay at home mom upstairs. Mitsuki was an intimidating woman but he had no doubt that she would do him this favor.

Izuku didn't need pity. Never before had he needed it and he didn't need it now.

He didn't own a phone so he would have to use the key left underneath Mitsuki's welcome to get into their house and use their phone. Izuku wasn't entirely sure why they had a welcome mat because besides the father of the house none of the occupants in that home were very welcoming.

That settled the job situation for now but with school. Izuku used his brain to come up with many scenarios where he would be able to go to school and the child would be safe but after ten minutes he found none. Reluctantly he accepted that he would just miss about two weeks worth of school.

That would mean he would get about one week to finish all his final tests and classwork before the current school year ended.

Now he needed to find out what he needed to successfully take care of her. Maybe he should have bought that computer he saw a while ago. That sure could come in handy right now. His only other options were to go to the library but a screaming baby in a library would not only get him kicked out but mildly annoy him at the same time.

Maybe there was a computer upstairs he could use for a couple of minutes. He was only borrowing it and wouldn't move it from its spot so no harm would be done. Right?

Now he had a plan to write down.

_1\. Call work and get time off_

_2\. Use the computer to figure out basic child information. _

_3\. Figure out what he needed to buy and if he had enough money. _

_4\. Go buy the things _

Izuku felt good about his plan. Now he could rest and in his comfy bed and have peace of mind.

He peeled his head off of the cold surface and span around to face his bed. He threw his hands above his head and gave a mighty yawn before using his hand to cover his mouth.

Getting up from his chair his eyes widened when they fell upon the box laying in his bed. He had completely forgotten about her physically being here during his internal planning.

He started to walk over to the sleeping baby to try and get it ready for bed. He should probably wash the child but he would rather not because she was silently sleeping and he had no clue as to how to safely complete the action.

As he made his way his foot jerked in mid-air causing him to miss his foot placement and plummet to the ground. Once he realized what was happening he whipped his arms out to his sides in a push-up position and caught himself inches before he hit the ground.

He left out a sigh of relief that he didn't just hurt his face on the ground or wake the baby up with his loud fall. He looked down towards his foot to find out why it failed him and got the glimpse of his shoelace out of its loop and tucked underneath his other foot.

So he tripped on his shoelace. When had it even come undone? Izuku was probably just tired, he has been up for about twenty hours without sleep.

He moved his head to look at the box and quietly waited a couple of seconds to make sure the child had not awoken. Sensing that he was in the clear he dropped to his knees and pushed up into a kneeling position. Which was not the brightest move.

Once his knees touch the ground producing a low thud the baby had awoken. As the cries started Izuku hung his head in shame. Shame because he had tried to be careful only for it to be fruitless when he was practically in the clear.

"Tch!"

Izuku scrambled to the baby and lifted her out of the box. He needed her to quiet down but he didn't know of any techniques or actions to do. Izuku remembered what he saw on the train earlier and was about to blow on her stomach until he remembered that it only seemed to anger the child on the train. That wouldn't work.

Maybe saying her name could get her to calm down. He had to stay calm so that she would become calm.

"Umm... E-Eri...Eri, shhh. Shhh, Eri."

While saying the comforting words Izuku reaches for her hand and gently grasped it in between hers. Her tiny hand grabbed onto his thumb and lightly squeezed as she quieted down.

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief when Eri stopped crying. So saying her name and grabbing her hand quieted her down. That is very good to know.

Izuku looked into her open eyes.

Bright red.

Her eyes were so different from that man's earlier but they also were so wide and full of emotion. The size of planet eaters, eating huge planets just for breakfast. Teeming with little stars of emotion in her own solar system, so much so her eyes were like containers, brimming to the edge with pure feeling.

Her eyes seemed to try and absorb everything. She needed to know everything, everything about him. Curiosity without limits. Looking not at him but into him for answers.

They begged and pleading for entrance into Izuku's heart, they wanted access to his feelings. Izuku never made an attachment towards others because others only hurt him but this child was making him waver.

Izuku never felt so many emotions flood through him at once. Like a geyser burst through him all at once and reached unobtainable heights. Skyrocketing to heights never before seen because izuku had locked those feeling away for no one, not ever himself to see.

And it terrified him.

He quickly looked away.

Making sure not to make eye contact with her Izuku laid her on the bed and began to search for something she could wear as clothing. He went into his closet and pulled out some clean underwear. Putting her legs through the holes and hoisting it up it honestly looked like it would fit better as some type of shirt.

He searched for the smallest shirt he had at the moment. Finally finding that old All Might shirt that he had gotten as a welcoming gift from Mitsuki he slid her head through the opening in the neck and put her arms in the sleeves. It looked a lot like a full-body suit but extremely baggy.

It reached past her feet and the sleeves ended in the middle of her fingers exposing tiny fingertips for all to see. It practically covered her entire body beside her head. Izuku thought that the shirt would do as pajamas for her for now.

He stood up straight and inspected the sleeping girl. Izuku had no idea how she had already fallen asleep after waking up moments ago but it was a relief.

He chucked off his clothing and put on some pajamas. Tiptoeing back to the bed he lifted her up into his arms and laid on his back and softly placed her on his chest.

He peeked down towards the girl once more to make sure what he experienced wasn't fake, some ploy summoned up by his heart and mind to play a joke on him and scare him. He had to make sure that all that emotion wasn't real, to confirm his prior beliefs.

He was wrong. The second their eyes met it was the feelings all over again.

All the emotion. It was like her eyes were forcibly peering into his soul. They broke through layers of distrust, hatred, and deep-seated sadness. They penetrated his tall walls, the outer walls to the castle that is his heart. They conjured up titans to dent and smash his walls down. Destroying them until there was only a tiny shell left as protection. Izuku never believed this to be possible but the lock and key theory found by the centuries-old chemist, biologist and psychologist stand true, for every lock, there is only one key.

Izuku could already tell that this little girl was the key to his heart, his love, and care for someone else. She was like a substrate and him, an enzyme. He stood no chance against her, she was already at the active site, key in the lock and ready to turn it and set free what is hidden.

He hadn't even known this child for a day but he could already tell soon he was going to be falling and bowing to her whims.

He quickly shut his eyes and pulled the covers over them to get ready for sleep. He really couldn't deal with this while sleep-deprived.

That's what he told himself but he knew that he had already lost. He knew deep down that he had already formed an unbreakable bond and he would do anything to protect it.

**...**

**I didn't really like this. I wanted to do more but decided that I can just explain how he molded himself into being somewhat (ok a pretty good one) capable as a father in like a summary, kinda I don't know, hey I'm trying here, in the next chapter. The next chapter is the last of super happy nice stuff for a while. **

**I think. **

**I don't know.**

**Maybe?**

**I have a roughish outline (It's slowly becoming more solid) of what I want to happen but that can always change. I now next chapter will have cute moments! Yay! At least I think they're cute. **

**I don't know. **

**I contradict myself a lot. Don't I?**

**Tell me your thoughts!**


	3. Living Nightmare(Part 1)

**I'm kinda on a roll right now!**

**The flow of this chapter is month to month. You see what it's like for Izuku in this time span of a year****.**

**This **'**...**' **symbolizes a month change. **

**I might extend this into 2 or 3 parts because there's plenty to write.**

**I think I'll call this the Nightmare arc. **

**Oh and sorry for killing off Inko. **

**Now onto the chapter, try to keep up!**

**...**

Nightmare is a very organized man. He sets up a schedule for all of his subjects and how he will deal with them. For his newest subject, he thinks he might be a bit spontaneous on what he does, but he'll still record the data.

He keeps charts with colors. He has tools with bookmarks. He makes sure he knows what's going on.

Nightmare thinks it's only fair that the subject gets to know too. He's found out that subjects get a sense of anxiety and fear when being reminded how long they've been in here. In here with him. Getting experimented on. It's making him giddy just thinking about it.

He has many plans for his new subject. If the subject was as worthy as he thought, he might just never let the kid go.

He threw the subject in one of the many rooms in the dingy building and chained him to the wall. He would say those chains were pretty tight if Nightmare wanted to toot his own horn.

_Toot toot!_

He wanted to. Nevertheless, the subject wasn't escaping anytime soon.

He thinks it's time for the kid to wake up now, so he should probably give him a warm welcome.

When he entered the dark and dull room he took in the child's appearance. Blood smeared all over his clothes, the black t-shirt he wore splashed with red. The cargo shorts painted with the red blood of his mother. His outfit matched greatly with his bright red shoes. The scarf had specks of red on it as well.

The kid was still clinging to that scarf, wrapped around his neck like it was his lifeline. Nightmare decided to let the kid have the scarf, on the off chance that it really was his lifeline. He really didn't want the kid dying on him.

He shook the kid.

His quirk's power ended once he woke the subject up. So now was a better time than any other.

The kid stirred at first but then, with a wheezy gasp and a jump he sprang to life out of his sleep. The kid was crying so loud it was kind of hurting Nightmare's ears.

He waited for the kid to settle down a bit before he made his introduction.

When the subject _finally_ noticed Nightmare he gave a fearful yelp and shrank into himself.

"Ah, so you've finally noticed me."

Izuku was so lost. The last thing he remembers was all the fire and all the blood.

Ah, just thinking about it right now makes him want to throw up.

What Izuku didn't understand was why he experienced the worst moment of his life twice. There was no way that was a dream it was entirely too real to be fake.

The man startled Izuku almost half to death. Speaking of death, why wasn't he dead? What purpose does he have for the man?

Where were the heroes?

Where was he?

He took a second to shakily look around the room he was in and to figure out his situation. He felt something on his neck.

The scarf! Izuku was so glad that the scarf hadn't been lost. He really needed it if he wanted to be able to cope. He needed the comfort of knowing that something of his late mother was with him. He felt like it was an extension of his mother. It really calmed him down a bit but he was still terrified of what was going on.

He tried moving his body but his wrist hit something tough. He just realized that there was something around his wrist. Handcuffs.

Was he chained up?!

Why?!

Izuku could feel the man's gaze on him. The gaze left a fearful tingle down his spine.

He doesn't have time to think about that, he needs to find out where he was and a way to get out!

With some frantic turns of the head, he took in the layout of the room. It was small, like the size of his bedroom small. It was so small he wasn't sure if the five pairs of chained handcuffs across from him could comfortably fit the five people it was designated for. From what he could tell the chains on his hands and the ones across from him weren't old. They felt new, the metal didn't have any marks of rust or anything that suggested them being aged. The room itself was incredibly dark with one window to the far right, probably about 10-12 feet high. Nobody was breaking out of here through that. Izuku saw no ladders in sight. From the window he could tell it was about mid-day, the sun was out but there was definitely an orange hint to the sun's rays signaling sunset was soon. If not soon then now.

Just how long had he slept?

He looked upwards and caught sight of one dangling lightbulb. The lightbulb was hanging from a thin silver chain and swayed back and forth as if it had a mind of its own. At least now he probably wouldn't be in the dark all the time. Although Nightmare doesn't seem like the kind of guy to be willing to show hospitality. For however long it takes the heroes to find him. He hopes it's soon because the smell of mold on the black brick walls was not pleasant at all.

Izuku decided to just rush and get all his questions out now.

"W-Who are you!? Why a-am I h-here?! W-What d-d-do you want f-from me?! Who i-is A-All f-for One?! W-What d-did you m-m-mean my father is in-involved?!"

The fact that the man's facial features just darkened makes Izuku feel even more frightened than before.

He wasn't sure if he always had that toothpick in his mouth but the way he was rolling it around didn't ease Izuku's worries.

"Stop that stuttering, it's annoying!"

Izuku yelped in fear of the older man's outburst. He better apologize as soon as possible if he doesn't want to get hurt because this man was terrifying.

"I-I'm s-sorry!"

The man gave a heated growl in response that made Izuku flinch. It was a flinch that started in his back and reached all the way up to the top of his head. The action made him look like the tip of the tail on a rattlesnake.

"Don't talk anymore unless you're sure you're not going to stutter because it's so annoying! Ahh, it makes me want to... Ahhh!"

What the man just said Izuku will take to heart because he really, really doesn't want to be in the position those 'ahhh's' were in. So Izuku rapidly nodded his head.

"Good! Now I bet your wondering where you are" Izuku nodded his head shakily. "Well, you are in the building I call the Laboratory! The building where I do my tests and experiments on my subjects!"

Izuku was very hesitant to ask his next question because he would bet all his, now burnt, All Might figures that this man did not mean subjects as in rats. But Izuku's ever-curious mind caused him to ask anyway. Not without watching his stutter though.

"Sub... jects?"

Izuku had to split the word in half to prevent himself from stuttering. He thought that if he didn't stutter he would keep the man calm, but this was wrong. He was so very wrong because the man's crazy smile set off many radars in Izuku's mind. He doesn't know if he'll ever stop being scared of this man if he keeps doing that.

"Yes, yes, yes my subjects! Those are the people I deem worthy of my tests and experiments! Don't be scared I think that you are very worthy, that's why your here and I plan to do many experiments and tests on you!"

The man's crazy smile slowly morphed into a satisfied smile towards the end of his word and it wasn't any less appalling. Izuku wasn't scared of being a subject until he had explained what they were. And that he was a high priority one at that! Now Izuku was horrified, all he wants to do is go home and make none of this ever happen. Oh and here comes the tear ducts. Izuku never could really control his tears.

"What I hope to gain from you is your fear! I can't wait until you beg for me to kill you and when you think it's going to happen I will just give you more nightmares! I love my quirk! My name is named after my quirk. So I am Nightmare! My quirk makes people have nightmares while they sleep! Oh and don't worry about eating food, my quirk emits plenty of nutrients!"

Izuku was having a hard time wrapping his head around that. The man can literally make nightmares! He said his name was Nightmare, that name is so creepy! But Izuku thinks it makes sense, like name your self after your quirk. Especially for villains and if he loves it so much he'll want to be reminded of it. It was clear Nightmare was a huge fan of his quirk.

But what exactly are these nightmares? Does he choose what the person sees? Maybe it was the victims greatest fear because he can still vividly remember watching his mother die. Izuku doesn't think that he'll ever forget it, in a cruel way he hopes he doesn't because it is the last memory he has of her. That event was traumatizing so obviously, he would have a nightmare about it. So did the man use his quirk on him? He wouldn't doubt himself to have the nightmare on his own, it all happened just yesterday.

Not only does it give off nightmares but also releases nutrients too! What nutrients though? Enough to keep a body stable? Izuku suspected that the person would be extremely malnourished if they lived off of his quirk. Nightmare is probably going to make Izuku live off of it! So he can make Izuku never eat again! Just thinking about food makes Izuku remember his mother. How she would cook the most simple things but make it taste like it was from heaven. Even basic katsudon became gourmet in her hands. And now he's remembering what had happened yesterday and what he dreamt about. The mere thought makes him cry.

"N-Nightmares?!"

Izuku just wanted some answers, not Nightmare's barefoot in his stomach! Why did that just happen?!

"I thought I told you to not stutter! Every time you stutter my foot is going in your face or stomach! Remember that!"

"S-Sorry!"

Izuku should have known he was going to get hit again. He knew that he had a stuttering problem, it wasn't his choice. He didn't like it either. Izuku is just going to let him talk the rest of the time, at least that's what he hopes because he knows his curious brain never did anything good for him.

"Cut it out! Whatever you're distracting me! Back to my quirk! I take your worst fear and make nightmares out of it! I have no doubt I'm going to be present in your nightmares from now on. I did a pretty good job on my most recent assignment."

The way that Nightmare looked genuinely proud of what he had done made Izuku want to puke.

He had murdered his mother in cold blood! Right in front of him too! This man set his entire house on fire! He played with his home like it was a measly combustible! He had just ruined his life! How evil do you have to be to feel proud of that?

"Ass-Assignment?"

Izuku's lip was definitely split open by now. He can feel the iron taste in his mouth. The blood that wasn't seeping into his mouth was dribbling down his chin and onto the hard concrete floor. Izuku was just glad that Nightmare doesn't mind screams of pain.

Oh wait, that look in his eye says differently. Izuku better shut up, he likes his teeth intact.

"I like people being in the know, you know? So I'll tell you when a week has passed, every week, until further notice. So don't worry about the time!"

Izuku didn't know whether to thank him or not because he would most definitely end up stuttering. He just shakily nodded his head as a sign of understanding. He really didn't expect the action to hurt his chin as much as it did but, it just proved his point of not talking.

"One for All was the person who supplied me with the mission. Very secretive guy. Next to nothing known about him, besides that, he's the leader. Leader of what I don't know exactly, besides the fact that he's the figurative god of villains. But I suspect the stupid little blue-haired kid that's always playing games is a big part of his plans."

"Well, I'm bored now so I'm going to leave!"

Izuku's eyes grew to the size of saucers. The head guy of all villains wanted his mother dead! Why?! They hadn't done anything to him! Wait! Before he said it was his father's fault! How does that man tie into this! Izuku had so many questions and now the guy was leaving!

"W-Wait! What a-about my father?! W-What does h-he have to d-do with this?!"

Izuku immediately winced at his own stupidity. He knew he was going to stutter! All there was left to do was brace for impact.

The man's growl didn't surprise him but when he slammed the door shut, Izuku jumped in his spot and peeked at the man. He messed up big time!

Mr. Nightmare stalked towards Izuku but stopped inches away from him and chomped on his toothpick. With a resounding

**Snap!**

The toothpick split in half. The part outside of Nightmare's mouth soundlessly dropped to the floor. Then from the side of his mouth, he spat the rest of it from his vicinity. Not a moment later a big foot came straight for Izuku's stomach.

Right away he threw up his breakfast from yesterday. The vomit reminded him of old grass as his continuous tears spilled into it. Izuku really hoped he wouldn't vomit because he doesn't expect his body to be getting solid food anytime soon.

Once he had caught his breath he was assaulted by the man's hand gripping his face and pulling it back.

"I'm tired of you, go to sleep!"

The red gas was clouding Izuku's vision and invading his nostrils and mouth until his consciousness gave way.

Izuku woke up with a hurting cheek, a gnawing sensation in his belly, lots of tears and a shout. Why does his cheek feeling like that? Had something hit him? Izuku wanted to say it hurt but the feeling in his stomach overpowered the sting in his face. He suspects the sensation in his belly is from hunger but one night of not eating couldn't produce a feeling of this scale. Right? Izuku had a clear explanation of why he was crying. He lived through his nightmare again. But this time not once but seven different times! What was that he feels like he's dying.

No. His mother and Smiles were the ones dying! Not him, all he could do is remember it over and over and over and over again as if it was happening right at that moment.

The first 5 times made him so scared and lonely and just so terrified that he called out to All Might to just come save him. He didn't deserve this. He needed All Might to save him.

The last 2 times he felt as though it was inevitable. That everyone dies. He doesn't need to be so scared of it. It still makes him cry his eyes out. The amount of sadness he has is insurmountable but he realized that he doesn't need All Might for something like this. All Might has more things to deal with. He can do this himself.

"Wake up kid. You've been asleep for a week."

Izuku really wasn't expecting that. How was he asleep for a week?! It felt like maybe 2 hours!

The whole event that was on repeat during his sleep was about 15 minutes each time. Does that mean his quirk changes how the victims perceive time? That's a lot more than just some nightmares.

"A-A week?!"

The foot in the gut was to be expected. Just because it was expected doesn't mean it didn't hurt. Izuku's stomach already felt like it was eating him from the inside out so, the force of Nightmares foot didn't make him feel any better.

"Stop talking! Come on it's time for your first experiment kid. It's going to be so fun... Midoriya!"

The experiments are already starting! Izuku didn't know what was going to happen to him. He didn't trust Nightmare at all. That man was crazy. What is he going to use? Forget that what was he going to do? And the way he spoke his name made Izuku really want to disappear. If he keeps calling him his last name in that.

Before he could come up with a response he was blindfolded and gagged with his own scarf. He felt the cuffs come off and immediately started to thrash around. If he could get a lucky shot in and knock Nightmare out he would be able to escape. It wasn't meant to be it seems, because the man was remarkably stronger than Izuku. His arms were pulled behind his back and tied with seconds. Nightmare dragged him for about 30 seconds.

From what Izuku could tell there were no turns. Just a straight walk from his cell door to the other one. Nothing obstructing the route. No doors, no chairs, nothing. Even with Izuku straining his ears to attention, he couldn't pick up anything. Until he was tossed through the air and landed with a thud.

The toss knocked the wind out of him because he wasn't expecting it. From what he could feel he was on a table. It was probably the generic scientist doing experiments on humans that you see in movies. Like the ones at the morgue. No that's not what he should think in this situation!

"Don't worry Midoriya," Izuku shivered at the mention of his name. "All I want to do is see what's really going on in that brain of yours!"

Once Nightmare said this Izuku let out a gasp and released muffled scream. He hurt the sound of tools starting up that clearly didn't mean anything good and started to try and break away from these metal shackles. Moving in protest didn't do anything but motivate Nightmare to release a chuckle.

Izuku felt some sort of apparatus placed over his nose and mouth that was making him very sleepy. Before falling asleep her heard Nightmare mumble something and then felt a sharp pain on his right temple.

But nothing came after but darkness.

"Rise and shine kid."

A kick to the head was not Izuku's preferred way of getting woken up. Nightmare clearly didn't care because he woke up with a splitting headache and clear sight of his crusty toes.

"I spent 2 weeks experimenting on you! But I have to stop now because my next steps are very precarious and can't afford to kill you just yet!"

Izuku's eyes widened. 2 weeks! This guy just doesn't care for time, does he!? He could be lying to Izuku!? Yeah, that had to be it? There's no way he can just ruin the laws of time like this!

"If I was you I wouldn't get used to what time usually is, plainly because I have no use for you when you are awake."

"W-What use am I i-i-if I'm not a-awake?"

The flying foot aimed at Izuku was routine by now.

"Whatever, I'm going out to get more subjects... so sit tight and wait!"

Nightmare pulled out a new toothpick and plopped it in his mouth before taking buoyant steps to the door and shutting it behind him.

Izuku's relief that Nightmare was finally going to leave him alone was insurmountable.

Or so he thought. His relief was quickly washed away when he was left alone with his thoughts. He had so many questions that they were assaulting and beating him.

Where was he? It was clear it was a cell but was he even still in the city, no, was he even still in the country? When was he getting out of here? Were people looking for him? Well besides the heroes. Did Nightmare plan to release him when he was diminished with him? When would he be finished with him? When the experiments and tests were done? What had happened during the experiments. He was out for 2 weeks so much could happen in that amount of time. Why did his head still ache? Was that a result of the experiments? What did he look like?! Would the heroes be able to recognize him? Would he recognize himself? Would the new people come with Nightmare be bad people or good? Would the new people be able to help him? Would Nightmare kill him? When would all this end?

Izuku wasn't really sure when he heard the first scream but it was loud and full of dread. That must have been a new person. Izuku was about to shout for help when another scream slid into his ears and the words died in his mouth. Forget him getting help that women needed help not him! He needed to do something!

He doesn't remember how long he struggled against his chains but he can distinctly feel the chains digging in his wrist now. The screams are a lot more tired now and almost hushed. Almost as if it hurt just to breathe and screaming was only being used as a means to hopefully find a savior. Was this how he sounded?

Then the screams abruptly stopped. The stop was so sudden that Izuku had to blink his wet eyes to make sure he heard right. There was no more noise, it was eerily silent. Izuku knew what had happened.

He had been useless once again. Will it ever change? He just wanted to help people? Now? All he can do is listen to them and do nothing? It was like listening in on the worst conversation ever, no you couldn't even call that a conversation.

It was a **murder. **

And he did **nothing. **

And so the screams kept on coming and coming and coming. It would start with one person's voice loud and blaring and then gradually die out until a new voice continues the cycle. For Izuku time and screams would blend together to the point where he would get lost in the screams. He'd try to find out the characteristics of the people and imagine what they looked like and how they looked at him when they saw him and how he had **failed **them. The knew he had **failed **them. They knew he was there the whole time while they screamed.

They knew he was **useless**.

The screams of others slowly turned into the screams of his. His head hurt, the tears stung. It was as if they were screaming at him. Telling him over and over again that he truly was **Deku**, that it was his fault.

He had finally calmed down when Nightmare entered his chamber.

"How was this week, hmm? I hope you're enjoying your stay."

"W-Why?!"

**...**

"Month one is done and you know what they say, first day of the month means new experiment!"

Izuku's head was still pounding from the relentless screams yesterday. He thinks it was yesterday. He really wasn't up for more experiments. Maybe he could convince him to not do them? But he better make sure not to stutter.

"Please, can w-we not d-do an experiment today?"

Even though the growing bruise on his ribs begs to differ, Izuku thinks he did better than normal that time. He didn't mess up the big words and he said it fast enough that it was hard to tell if he did. But Nightmare knew he stuttered and Nightmare kicked him like usual. He should be glad it's not punches.

"Shut up. Now I wanted to try something new and you seem like the best choice to try this new experiment on!"

Izuku was ready to try and break free once the shackles were released but was caught totally off guard when Nightmare walked out the door by himself. He soon returned with a wooden chair.

Was Nightmare going to sit in it and watch him or something? Izuku knew this experiment was new but that was just a huge deviation from the last one.

He pulled Izuku up and into the chair. He sat stock straight with his legs and arms tied to the legs and armrest of the chair. Nightmare pulled out the bloody bandana that had been used on Izuku before and tied it around his eyes.

Wait! _Bloody!_ Why was it bloody?! It wasn't before!

"Now I've heard that this is quite fun to do. So I figured I should try it. I'll call it 'The Live Experimentation'!"

Izuku was going to ask what was happening when he felt another piece of cloth shoved in his mouth. He muffled to speak to Nightmare but it didn't work.

"Just relax Midoriya."

The way Nightmare says his last name always sends a shiver down his spine. But that shiver was silenced by the by this feeling of heat he felt on his left forearm. What was that?

The heat was slowly starting to increase. Before it was just uncomfortable but it's starting to sting. It caused Izuku to hiss through the fabric in his mouth.

It felt like someone had taken a flame to his skin. What was going on?

Why was the heat increasing even more?! It's starting to really hurt! Izuku wants it to stop! It's starting to blister his skin, he can feel it. Izuku's hiss has developed to a full-on scream by now. The pain was unbearable. Izuku was positive that Nightmare had taken a match or something to his forearm because nothing burned this much!

The heat was making him sweat. The sweating was collecting on the pieces of cloth covering his eyes and mouth. The cloth over his eyes was steadily becoming soaked with his sweat and tears.

Someone stop this pain. All Might?! It's unbearable! It burns! Izuku feels like his skin is crisping and melting. It had to be a 2nd-degree burn by now.

**_It Burned!_**

**_It hurt so much. _**

**_Where were the heroes?!_**

**_Where were they?!_**

Izuku's happiness that the heat had left his appendage was short-lived because immediately something started to dig into it. Whatever it was it was sharp! It was cutting his skin! His already **burnt** skin was being assaulted even more! Why?!

Nightmare was toying with Izuku. He was drawing some lines in his burn. Long jagged lines with what had to have been a blade of some kind.

**1st line. Long and straight. **

**2nd line. Large and diagonal. **

**3rd line. Immense and straight.**

Did Nightmare just carve an 'N' in Izuku's arm?!

Why?! Did he do it for the memories?!

The pain in his arm is so much that he doesn't feel the numerous other ragged gashes being littered along his arms and legs. Until he felt a deep one on the back of his right hand it went from one end to the other and the blood was dripping off his fingertips. He felt the red liquid slide from the gash, over his knuckles and on his fingernails until dripping off.

Izuku didn't understand why he was feeling pain all over seemingly simultaneously. Nightmare but have been that skilled with the deadly weapon. Izuku was getting lost in the feeling until he felt the sharpest feeling of pain he ever felt before. It was at the top of his right ear. What was that feeling? It felt like the tip of his ear just came off. Is that blood filling in his ear?! Will he please stop doing this?! Izuku can't take it anymore!

The next spike of pain was on his face this time. The wound started right underneath his bottom lip on the left side. It extended to in a diagonal line to the top of his chip on its right side. It was so deep Izuku could practically feel it hitting his chin bone.

The next feeling of pain generated from under his right eye, around his cheek. A straight, precise cut that was definitely going to scar. Izuku felt the blood cascade down his face and into his mouth. The taste of iron scared him even more because he knew Nightmare would spare him no mercy.

Izuku feels like he's already run out of tears to spill. What more does Nightmare want from him?!

What is that prick!? It feels like little bugs are biting him and sinking their teeth into him. What is that?! Izuku can feel his throat closing in him. It's scratchy and hoarse. One more shout and it would be gone, he knew it so he was gonna use it on a question because he needed to know if that was really bugs on his skin.

"W-What is th-that?!"

The foot to the stomach caused Izuku to spit out blood. Spit out blood! That definitely can not be safe! When all the bug bites left his body it didn't feel as good as he thought it would. Honestly, it felt just as bad as when they were coming in. The only relief he felt was letting his head fall and slouch on his shoulders motionless.

"Alright that's it, I took the sticks out. This was a great experiment! Thank you Midoriya"

Sticks?! No that was too small to be a stick? What is that small and stick like? Ahrg! His whole body hurts so much he can't think! What has he seen Nightmare with?

* * *

Toothpicks! That feeling was toothpicks?! Honestly, it all felt like death! Fortunately or unfortunately, he didn't know, he was still kicking. He's just glad it's over. This "experiment" was finally over. This was no experiment it was straight torture. From all the movies and things, Izuku has read this would be the exact description of torture. Izuku tried to mention this fact but his voice failed him. It came out as a warbled croak.

"I'll bandage you right up and leave you be for some time! Then I'll up the nightmares a bit!"

The only response to that statement was an indiscernible wheeze from Izuku.

The next two weeks go by in a blur for Izuku. His cuts and burn ached as if they were freshly made even through his bandages. The bandages weren't great quality so all they did was soak up the blood. They itched like crazy but he couldn't even reach them with his arms chained up the way they were. The only cut free from the itching problem was the chin one because when it itches he would just rub it against his scarf. The scarf would remove the itch and give him some worth in his dreary life.

The screams in the background still raged on at full force. They created a constant buzzing in his ears that drowned out the shouting and screeching to almost nonexistent. The buzzing was anything but therapeutic for Izuku at first he had accepted it with open arms. Anything to get away from all the people yelling at him and asking him why he was so useless. Then the buzzing didn't leave, it stayed and stayed even when Izuku's head was pounding it persisted without consent. The buzzing plagued the depths of his mind and sent his adrenaline skyrocketing. He had to get out of here!

"Hello Midoriya, what did you do these past two weeks? I know the other subjects screams must have been delightful!"

Izuku has never hated someone before in his life. The feeling of hate was so foreign yet so welcomed at this moment in time. Not even once during all the years of Katsuki's bullying did he feel hate. He most definitely felt anger but never hate but Nightmare made Katsuki look like an angel. So Izuku hates Nightmare, and rightfully so. It kinda scared him because he knew his time here has not been for the better.

"Monster! Let m-me out of h-here!"

Damn! His chin was just starting to close up too. Now it's busted open again and bleeding. He'll probably need new bandages.

"Shush _subject! _I don't have time for you! Go to sleep!"

Izuku doesn't think he'll ever get used to that rush of gas on his face. Especially when new things keep happening like the stinging in his eyes that feels like there was sweat or some salty liquid in them because that was new. That had never happened before.

Once Izuku was limp against the wall Nightmare backed away and started to walk away until he had to do a double-take. Izuku's eyes were bloodshot red. He doesn't remember his quirk doing that to anyone before. Well, no one had taken his quirk this many times before but it's whatever. It wasn't going to make the kid's nightmare any better.

Izuku was ready this time, no longer will he be scared and chicken out when seeing this nightmare again. First things first, the scene when I enter the room.

What? This isn't the normal dream I have.

Why am I in the corner of the room?

Oh there's me, is this any different?

* * *

None of that was different all the same thing just from a different pair of eyes.

Maybe I missed something?

* * *

No everything was the same!

What's the point of this! Just to let me see it from a different perspective? What was the point in that?!

"This is so stupid, why can't this nightmare just end."

"No can do Midoriya."

That voice still made Izuku feel queasy even when he wasn't present in reality. He knew that voice. But how was Nightmare talking directly to him?

"How a-are you talking t-to me?"

"You're lucky I can't kick you in here, but I can do other things!"

Nightmare started stabbing Izuku's mother more than was usual for this dream. It hurt Izuku to see that. He had just recently gotten somewhat tolerant of the normal amount of stabs and blood.

"S-Stop that don't hurt her a-a-anymore, please!"

"You're not helping her at all Midoriya! Oh, times up!"

The whole scene reset to Izuku in the corner again. He begs Nightmare to stop but he just increases the punishment every time he asks.

"Midoriya your so useless!"

* * *

"Midoriya help her!"

* * *

"Midoriya do something don't just stand there!"

* * *

"Midoriya really is just a useless **Deku!**"

* * *

Izuku gets it! He's useless. He can't do anything. It's all his fault. His mom is in so much pain because of him. Just stop!

Midoriya this!

And Midoriya that!

No more, stop calling him that!

"**J-Just shut up!**"

"Your a little late Midoriya! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

**...**

"Morning Midoriya! So! How have you liked your 2 months stay at my Laboratory?!"

"D-Don't call me that."

"Keep stuttering like that and you're going to break a rib you know. And what are you talking about that's your name! What else would we call you?!"

"Don't call me... wait what do you mean w-w-we?!"

"I have good news so I'll let that one pass. I've brought you a friend!"

Izuku frantically looked around until he caught sight of a blond patch of hair. It was a kid, couldn't be older than 9 chained up directly across from him on the opposite wall.

The kid had blond hair, vibrant pink eyes, and a small and stubby nose. What Izuku immediately noticed was the 'I LOVE HEROES' printed in big bright blue letters across his shirt on his chest.

Another person was in here with him! Awesome! Now he can get out of here!

"Someone's in h-here with me?"

Good thing his cut didn't open up because he didn't feel like he should be losing any more blood. He was already feeling queasy but that might be from hearing this demon of a man calling out to him.

The kid across from him gave a yell in shock or fear.

Great! Now Izuku's stuttering problem was scary the kid! Not only does it result in him getting hurt but now he brings fear to others for it. What a way to make an introduction!

"Have fun Midoriya!"

Nightmare leaned over, pulled out the toothpick in his mouth and ran it along Izuku's chin scab. The scrape across his healing flesh sent pains across his face. He couldn't help but cry out in pain and shed some tears. The tears really hurt! He doesn't know why but his eyes always feel like they have something on it. Right on the whites of his eyes, it was something infinitely small because he couldn't see it but it felt like something. Something was in his eyes! Blinking did nothing but he was slowly getting used to it.

Nightmare ran an unsightly finger across Izuku's face to wipe the tears. Izuku jerked his head away causing the chains to deepen the lacerations on his wrist. He tried to let out a growl but it came out more like a pitiful groan than anything. Izuku narrowed his eyes at Nightmare when he stalked out of the room. Leaving just Izuku and the still-unnamed child. He should try to make conversation.

"H-Hey."

The kid was still too scared to respond. Just the shakiness of his eyes as the stared him. It felt like they were looking for something. What? Izuku had no clue. Maybe a way out? Good luck. Izuku has thought and looked for it his entire 2 months here.

"W-What's your name?"

He felt like he was getting nowhere with this kid. He doesn't blame him. Izuku was pretty very distraught too his first week here. Heck, he still kind of is! Not to mention he was still starving. It felt like his stomach was trying to eat him.

Oh no. The kid was curling in on himself. He brought his pale arms above his head to hide his head in his knees.

Whoa! Are those spikes in his elbows?!

Izuku has never seen that type of quirk before! What did it do? Was it a hardening quirk? Could he pull those spikes off and grow more? We're the spikes even hard? Maybe they were actually soft. We're they there all the time? Like a mutation or was it an emitter quirk? Maybe he was emitting it because he was scared or he felt threatened? The spikes were bright pink, kind of like tourmaline. They matched his eyes.

Wait not the time! He had to ease the boy's worries. Izuku tried using something that was in common for them. Their love for heroes!

"I see that you l-like heroes."

It was a wild shot, but it worked. The bright shining in the boy's eyes told him all he needed to know. It reminded Izuku of himself when he was younger. It was a good feeling to know that there was still hope because he really needed the heroes to come.

"Yeah! They're so awesome!... Do you think they'll come and get us?"

Izuku wasn't 100% sure but he needed to believe. If not for him then for the kid. The heroes had to come right? They never failed. Not like him.

"Of course they will. S-Say what's your name?"

"O,h I'm Kaito!"

So his name was Kaito. This was good. Now they could talk.

"Hello, Kaito I'm M..." Izuku really didn't know if he should say his name. It seriously was starting to make him sick hearing it. "J-Just call me Deku ok?"

"But that man called you Midoriya. Is that not your name?"

"Umm, it-it's complicated."

Izuku and Kaito talked for hours upon hours. They lost track of time and got lost in their conversation when reality came crashing down on them.

Nightmare came in and without a word snatched up Kaito and dragged him out. Izuku thrashed against his chains until his wrist blend. He screamed and shouted to let him go.

"Take me instead!"

"Leave him alone!"

"He didn't do anything!"

"Why?!"

"No!"

"Stop it!"

Izuku's words were pointless. He couldn't stop him. He was powerless. He was useless. He could do nothing but cry and yell. Izuku couldn't do anything, Izuku wasn't a boy of action. That fact was sure to be made. All of his words fell on deaf ears, Izuku felt like Nightmare was playing god and fate was not on his side. It seemed as though Nightmare was just ignoring him until he said a few words before shutting the door behind him.

"Once again you were **useless, Midoriya!**"

Izuku's entire body stilled. Then the wails and tears came full force. He felt like a true villain because he wasn't able to help someone in need. He wasn't able to help the only person that needed him right now. Once the tears subsided he pitifully dropped his head and whispered.

"D-Don't you think I know that already?!"

After a week Kaito's screams finally ended. Izuku felt everything Kaito felt just from his screams. The buzzing had returned but his screams were too loud.

They were so loud!

They made Izuku's head hurt. His head was killing him! The screams were burning holes in his mind and created new masses of insanity. Izuku thought we was going to go crazy until the stopped.

There was nothing no screams and no Nightmare bringing Kaito back. What happened?! Where was Kaito?

No, where were the heroes?!

They were supposed to be here by now! Izuku knew they were busy but this was way too long! All Might had to be here by now. Where was he?

No... He just had to be patient. Yeah, just be patient.

Be patient and wait for the heroes and be patient and wait for Kaito to come back. They had to come!

Izuku heard the door creak. He peered upwards towards the sound. Standing there, happy as can be was Nightmare.

"Where is K-Kaito?"

Nightmare crunched on the stick in his mouth and dashed over to Izuku and snatched Izuku's head into his hands.

"I see you're getting better with the stutter! That's good but it's still bothersome! So nightmares it is for you!"

He was back in the corner again. Watching Nightmare stab his mother relentlessly.

"Can you please s-stop doing that!"

* * *

"I'm begging you!"

* * *

Izuku forgot when he stopped crying after seeing his mother killed for hours. It may have been after the 8th or 9th time but Izuku honestly forgets. Instead of tears, he can feel the unknown substance again. It was gone for so long that it kind of shocked him when he felt it again.

He already had a wave of steady growing anger for the scene in front of him. Actually, he has come to the conclusion that there are two things that he hates in this world. Nightmare and this nightmare right in front of him. He also realized that he really misses his mother and Smiles.

It was so repetitive that it made his anger fester and the hot feeling on his eyes grew. Why was he still so useless! He didn't deserve to be her son! He had continuously failed her!

He had enough! The feeling on his eyes burned so much, so could feel the substance seeping into his eyeballs. It was painful!

Izuku reminded himself that his mother was in much more pain than him. All because of that man and that stupid knife! Get that knife away from her!

Just as his eyes brought on the peak of its pain... it disappeared in an instant. A different feeling had erupted in the back of his brain, it was oddly familiar.

Woah!

Why was the knife stuck in the wall behind him?! Had Nightmare threw it?! No! He looked just as shocked as Izuku! Izuku asked himself how had that happened?

Then it clicked!

That familiar feeling he had felt it before. When his mother's body moved towards him and when the scarf came to him. But how?! The only way something like that could happen was with a quirk! Nightmare's quirk couldn't do that and no one else was present. So that had to mean that he had done it but that was impossible... Unless!

**_!?_**

Was he lied to!? Did he have a quirk this entire time!? All of the years of being quirkless and bullied for no reason! This shouldn't be possible! He had two pinky toes, the doctor said so!

The doctor could have lied! Why would he though! He had nothing to gain. Or so Izuku thought but before he could think about it further he was pulled out of the dream world. Dreamscape? Yeah, dreamscape sounds cool.

Izuku blinked his eyes open fully expecting to be met with the sight of dank and dark walls. The bright and white light was blinding but more appreciated than the dark.

Where was he? This wasn't his cell. Izuku tried lifting his head only for it to be forcefully pulled down and Nightmares head to shoot into view.

The wide smile Nightmare held was morphed and twisted into a gross frown from Izuku's upside-down position. Nightmare cared not because he stared down Izuku and began to speak.

"So Midoriya I take you're scared of the nightmare still?"

"Just annoyed," Izuku responded.

Nightmare grunted and snapped the stick in his mouth in half. Izuku wondered if he does that whenever he's upset because he's been doing more often. "Just annoyed?! Well now I'm annoyed, let's do this experiment!"

Nightmare started to collect his tools and equipment while Izuku just braces himself. When a sharp ring echoed through the air in the room.

Nightmare had a phone? He should shout for help!

"Don't even think of shouting brat, it's One For All." Nightmare clicked the bottom and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello."

"Yes."

"Yes I know I was supposed to be completing an assignment."

"No, I don't wish to anger you."

"As of right now I'm busy but I'll do it next week, goodbye!"

Izuku wanted to focus on the conversation he just heard but he was feeling sleepy. Very Sleeping.

"This isn't looking good for me, I broke 3 sticks in one sitting. All For One is so annoying doesn't he know I'm busy! Whatever. I'll take it out on you Midoriya!"

Izuku was in his cell the next time he woke up. Chained up as usual. What was unusual was his splitting headache and pain on the right side of his dome.

"Don't do anything while I'm out Midoriya!"

With that Nightmare left and locked the door in his way out. Where was he going? Probably to do that thing he was talking about with All For One. How long would he be gone for? Hours? Days? Weeks? Hopefully forever.

Izuku knows he wished for him to disappear but the 2 days that have passed so far by himself have been really boring and annoying.

His brain wouldn't stop firing off anxious and worried questions one after the other. Sometimes they are about him, others are about Nightmare. Some others were his situation or his past.

He tried not to but by now his brain was asking questions about his nightmares. Mainly his most recent one. He used a quirk, he just knew it. He didn't know how to explain it but he just did. What else could it have been? Can he do it again? He should try.

Izuku looked around the room to try and find something to use it on. He didn't entirely know what his quirk was but if he had a guess he would say telekinesis. His mother had a very minuscule version of telekinesis, where she could pull small objects towards her.

Izuku knew his quirk was similar but not the same. He had pulled his mother to him. Which wasn't a small object, she was a full-grown human and full of love. Also, it wasn't a simple pull towards oneself because he remembers moving the scarf around a shoe. It was when he was trying to grab the scarf back in the room full of fire. What? Three months ago? Damn, he's been in here too long. He's even picking up Nightmare's swear words.

Every time he used it he got this feeling in the back of his head. He'll try to recreate it but first, he needed something to move around.

He hadn't noticed this before but his cell was surprisingly clean, not a pebble of dirt in sight. How was he supposed to do this if there was nothing to move. Izuku spent a long time looking but found nothing so he was going to give up.

He threw his head back in frustration and stared at the ceiling. In the dark, there was a tiny line of silver. What was that? It had a slight shine from the moonlight outside. So it had a pensive surface. What was that? Something on the ceiling, silver, and shiny.

The lightbulb chain!

That was it he could use that!

* * *

The moon and sun had come and gone many times before Izuku had made any progress. He knew it took time but he was so mad that it wasn't working! All he wanted was some light!

The heat on his eyes returned but it was different this time. No longer was it over his eyes it was on it. He could physically feel it on his eyes. It started at the corner of his eyes and ended before hitting the middle. It felt primarily on his sclera. Whatever it was it had helped him because now the chain was moving. It was swinging ever so slightly. The feeling in the back of his head was back. It wasn't as forceful as before with the scarf and the knife but it was there. It was a start!

That ever so slightly swinging made Izuku elated but it hadn't lasted long because Nightmare had burst through the door with a toothpick in his mouth yelling.

"How much did you fucking miss me Midoriya!"

"Please just leave me a-alone!"

**...**

**That was a lot!**

**Yeah, I'm going to split this arc into three, maybe four parts because each month has a good amount of information in each. **

**What's happening to poor Izuku? Where are the heroes? No 11 year old should go through this!**

**Leave a review and I'll see you for part 2 **

**Living Nightmare Part 2 coming soon!**


	4. Living Nightmare(Part 2)

**Here again!**

**Living Nightmare part 2!**

**Months 4-6 **

**The last chapter was a lot of writing so don't expect the rest to be even close to that much. **

**I like to think my average amount of words is around 4k-5k words.**

**Thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites!**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

It seems as though Nightmare thought it was smart to start month number four with a nightmare. The same nightmare that he has experienced for so long. The nightmare angered him for a while but eventually, the anger stopped, all there was left was a silent sadness in his eyes.

He didn't scream for him to stop. He didn't yell. He didn't say a word. He just listlessly watched him repeatedly stab his mother.

Izuku thinks it did the opposite effect that Nightmare wanted. Nightmare wanted fear but having the same nightmare over and over again was making him more detached to the memory.

"How was your week of nightmares!?"

"I think it was doing the opposite of what you wanted."

The foot came flying towards Izuku but stopped prematurely.

"What!? I see I finally got you to stop stuttering!"

Obviously, he would stop, Nightmares kicks hurt. He really doesn't have to try to stop stuttering, it's just not happening anymore. Maybe he had a stuttering problem because his mind was always going a mile a minute and he never sorted it all out and it became jumbled? Izuku didn't know but that was the likely reason because he has had plenty of time to think about, everything. And now it was gone.

He oddly doesn't feel nervous anymore either. Why is that? Nightmare said he had stopped the stuttering. Like it was a problem and he figured out the solution. Was that why he was experimenting on him? Was he going into Izuku's brain and manually doing things?

Nightmare threw his hands up to his imaginary hair and palmed his scalp as if running his hands through it. He bit down on the stick, spit it out, put a new one in and repeated the action three times. Nightmare's hands vigorously rubbed his scalp until he suddenly stopped. The vicious grin that grew on his face was definitely a foreboding warning for something bad.

"So your not scared anymore huh?! I've got something for you. You're going to love your new nightmares after I tell you this!"

Izuku narrowed his eyes, he had a really bad feeling about this.

"How about we talk about daddy dearest, huh Midoriya?"

Izuku's eyes widened. He entirely forgot about how Nightmare mentioned him. His mind was too focused on other things.

What does he mean new nightmares?! Was telling him about his father going to make them worse?! Just who was his father?!

"Say, have you heard about the Banzo Incident?"

Izuku waited a couple of seconds to make sure he had a quality response, but not without being careful of what he said.

Izuku responded slowly.

"Yeah. Like 10 years ago a villain destroyed the whole city. It was kept under wraps. I only know of it because... it was my father's hometown!"

Was Nightmare going to tell him about his father all the way from when he was born? Why was that?

"Do you know how the villain accomplished such a feat?"

"From what I heard everything and everyone was burnt down."

"Yes, _The Scorcher _did do that indeed."

Izuku was getting upset. This is foolish, none of this had to do with his father. He didn't live there anymore at the time of the attack. He was still with him and his mother. Well, that's what he thinks at least, Izuku doesn't really remember anything from when he was that young.

"What does this have to do with my father Nightmare?"

"Tell me Midoriya. What is your father's quirk again?"

"He can breathe..."

**_!?_**

**_No. _**

**_This can't be!_**

**_Not his father!_**

**_Why would he even do that!?_**

There was no way Izuku's dad did all that! His father wouldn't do that at all! And to his hometown no less! Nightmare was spouting lies. Trying to get into Izuku's head. Trying to fool him!

"Now you're just lying!"

It couldn't be true, his father couldn't be a villain. Not with how much he wanted to be a hero. Hero's can't have a villain for a dad!

"Believe what you want but your father IS _The_ _Scorcher_!"

Why do these things happen to Izuku?!

Why?!

Why hadn't his mother told him?! Did his mother even know?! Did he just leave without a word?! Working out of the country was just an excuse! Was his father really even out of the country?! Why is it that he doesn't know anything?!

Izuku couldn't even remember what his dad looked like.

He might have had black hair? Forget about knowing how he acted like. He couldn't be sure of anything. Maybe what Nightmare said was true?

The way life was toying with him, he wouldn't doubt it.

This whole time, while his mother and he struggled day in and day out he was busy burning places down for fun!?

"That's a lot to take in, isn't it? Why don't you sleep on it, eh Midoriya?!"

Why was it so hot in here? It wasn't like this last time. Izuku remembers it being hot but this felt like it was an actual inferno around him.

Izuku turned the corner and was met with a confusing scene.

Who is that standing above his mother? It didn't look like Nightmare.

Standing over Izuku's mother, with their front faced away from Izuku was a man.

Who?

Izuku didn't know. The man's figure was shrouded in a thick gray and black smoke. From head to toe, the man was wreathed in it.

The only reason he could tell it was a man, was the way it warped and moved around him. Pressing against the contours of his male body. It was as if the smoke was alive and its sole purpose was to block off Izuku's view.

The man slowly turned around to face Izuku head-on.

The intense red in the shape of eyes faced him. The red eyes were narrowed and full of hate. The only other human characteristic of the man was a messy tangle of black hair that left a few stands over the figures red eyes.

Why were those eyes and hair so familiar? Izuku had this aching feeling that he knew who this man was but it slipped his brain. It was on the tip of his tongue. If only he could see his face clearer. Izuku closed his eyes in concentration.

Before Izuku could continue to concentrate on figuring out who the man was, a deep heat washed over him. It was burning him, lathering him in the fire.

* * *

It happened again he tried to focus on who the man was but once he started he was engulfed in flames.

* * *

Izuku didn't focus on the man this time. He peered around the room. Was the fire always green? Why was it green? What could have done that to the flames?

"Who are you?!"

The man faced Izuku for a moment that looked towards his mother.

"I hate you!"

With that shout from the man, he spewed fire at his mother. Melting her. Burning her until she was unrecognizable.

Why?!

What had he done to cause this?!

* * *

This continued on and on.

Continuous 'Why?!'s and 'Who are you?!'s until his tears stopped pouring down his face.

"Why are you doing this!"

The man stared at Izuku for a while until he shouted.

"Because you're useless!"

The flames shot towards Izuku burning him. They were melting him. Crisping his skin until it was charred. The flames were s_corching _him

**_!_**

* * *

It was _him!_

It was his _father!_

His father was the man burning him and his mother!

It all made sense now. The black hair and red eyes. The green flames. Those are the only characteristics of him that Izuku's mind remembered.

And this man had them all!

Why?!

"Why are you doing this?!"

"Why are you a villain?!"

His body being encased in green flames was the response he got.

...

Over and over again he'd repeat the questions and the responses he got ranged from him getting burnt. His mother getting burnt.

Or

"You're useless!"

"Why can't you save your mother!?"

"Why can't you save yourself?!"

"How can you be a hero when you can't even save your self?!"

"You've already failed so many people!"

"Heroes are pointless, just like you!"

* * *

The repetitiveness of it was getting to Izuku.

His head hurt.

His eyes burned.

And the familiar sensation in the back of his head returned.

Along with it was the familiar feeling of anger. Izuku is starting to think he's becoming to comfortable feeling anger. He never had this much anger before. Well, Nightmare wasn't involved in his life before so there's that.

It's all Nightmares fault! Without Nightmare, there would be no problems!

The burning in his eyes was growing.

It hurt!

No longer was it around his sclera but right at the roots of his irises. It was inflaming his ciliary body.

Stop the pain! Just take his eyes away!

"You are nobody's hero, Izuku!"

"Shut up!"

**...**

"Wake up sleeping beauty! I was busy for a while so it's already a week into month 5! 3 weeks of nightmares are intense and lovely aren't they?!"

"I hate y-"

Izuku's hateful response was interrupted by a piercing ring. Nightmare snapped the stick in his mouth and growled.

"Sorry, I've got to take this. You understand right, Midoriya?"

Izuku just gritted his teeth. That name was seriously starting to irritate him. It wasn't the name someone useless should be known by. It was his mother's name, and she was an angel. He was useless.

"So what you have for me G?"

Izuku was too far from Nightmare to hear the person on the other side of the conversation. Izuku's strained his ears to pick up whatever he could from Nightmare. Is this 'G' person a common contact?

"That's not possible!"

"Now your lying to me. Nobody is that powerful!"

"For hundreds of years?!"

"Arghh! That's overpowered!"

"Even All Might?!"

"Thanks, G. I won't ask how you got that info but I appreciate it. I'll get you your money! Bye!"

What was that about. What was Nightmare talking about? Someone being powerful? For hundreds of years. Something about All Might included in this. Was whoever Nightmare talking about able to live for hundreds of years? Where they so strong even All Might would struggle against them? Who were they talking about! Nightmare's conversation proposed so many questions for Izuku.

"Who were you talking to?"

_Snap!_

"None of your business, Midoriya!"

Izuku wanted to spit in Nightmare's stupid face. Maybe get some on his glasses.

"Who were you talking about?"

_Snap!_

"Tch! That's another stick!… You know what? I just had an amazing idea for a new experiment! And you're going to help me test it out Midoriya!"

Not another experiment! Please no! The last one was too much for Izuku, this one might actually break him!

"No!"

Nightmare pulled out around 20-30 toothpicks from his back pocket and laid them out in front of Izuku. He lifted one and aimed it at Izuku's skin.

"Yes, Midoriya!"

Izuku doesn't really remember when it ended, only that Nightmare finally took them out.

When Nightmare first put them all in Izuku fainted from blood loss. Nightmare placed them all in places that bled and hurt the most. Izuku wasn't entirely sure how it was that some spots hurt so much more than others, but they did. Maybe his skin in certain areas was weaker? Like where Nightmare had marked an 'N' in his forearm. Was that spot weaker? Because honestly he barely even noticed it anymore.

It didn't matter really because Nightmare was relentless with the sticks for a week straight.

Throughout the week Nightmare would come in, take them out and reinsert them in different spots.

Originally Izuku thought it was random placement but on the 3rd day, he realized Nightmare was trying to find the spots that hurt the most. Nightmare's gauge for how much pain each one was bringing was how loud or heavy a hiss Izuku let out.

Izuku never imagined that a few tiny sticks could hurt this much! It felt like he was being bitten and cut at the same time, all over the place, all the time!

It was never-ending.

When Nightmare left at night, he also left the sticks in Izuku. Izuku didn't get a single break. The pain was constant. By the end of the week, Nightmare was sure he had found the most painful places for all 27 sticks. Izuku felt them so badly that he was positive it was 27 just from pain alone. He didn't need his eyes to tell.

Nightmare left after the first week to do whatever the idiot does. Izuku was pretty sure he left to go pay that G person.

Regardless! Nightmare had left the sticks in Izuku! The pain was so much that the slightest movement caused Izuku immense pain.

After 3 days he came to the conclusion that the heroes weren't coming for him anymore. He had a lot of time to figure this out, and this was the final result of all the thinking. Maybe they were trying their hardest but just couldn't find him? Maybe they had given up on finding him? Maybe they never even cared? Maybe they never even tried to look for him? Either way, the reasoning is the same. Heroes just weren't that powerful. They can't save everyone all the time. They were also useless at times.

Granted, not as useless as him at all. Even if they couldn't save everyone, they still saved the majority. They saved at least one person.

Izuku can't say the same.

He's saved no one.

But! If he started saving people he could become a hero too!

Maybe?

Probably not but it's just a nice thought.

The rest of the week was rather peaceful. No Nightmare. No Nightmare's nightmares. No screams. Nothing.

Just nice quiet that Izuku got lost in. It was a solace for how terrible his experience has been.

The sticks still hurt like a bitch!

Izuku has developed a bad vocabulary because of Nightmare. It feels a little empowering to express your anger in such a way. It's words instead of actions.

Because everyone knew Izuku was not very good at taking action.

The sticks still hurt but the peace and quiet were more than welcomed. If having sticks in you meant being in repose, Izuku would gladly have sticks stuck in him.

So when Nightmare came back and took them out Izuku knew the troublesome experience would start up again.

"How was your week without me Midoriya?"

Izuku was feeling spiteful today.

"Actually you fucking retard, it was great."

"Excuse me?! I'll teach you to speak to me like that Midoriyaaaa!"

The palm on his face was expected.

Nightmare using his quirk on him was expected, but what wasn't was that Nightmare's voice was coming out of his father this time.

Before it was distorted. But now it was clearly Nightmare's voice. Was Nightmare going to talk to him now?

"Let's spend a nice week together eh, Midoriya!"

Izuku didn't like this one bit.

* * *

Nonstop!

It was nonstop!

He did all the same things as his father but said 'Midoriya' at the end of it all!

Why was it that hearing his name could set him off so badly?

Nightmare was screaming it. Screaming it when he burned his mother. When he burned him. When he degraded him. When he laughed at him.

When he did anything!

It made him so mad!

The burning feeling in his eyes was back. And it was traveling and spreading. It had expanded from his iris roots and was starting to coat the entirety of his irises.

It burned!

It felt like boiling water was poured on them! Even the tears hurt! They felt like little rivulets of lava pouring down his face. It felt like his father's quirk was directed at only his irises. At full power.

It was a while before the pain subsided. Along with the pain were the tears. Izuku hated crying but now it hurt too! He would never cry again and that was a promise. He would promise to his mother that he would no longer cry. It wasn't that hard after all the pain he's felt, nothing could hurt him enough anymore to make him cry. Not physically or emotionally.

"Ah, times up Midoriya! Did you have fun, huh Midoriyaaaa!"

The burning was back but it didn't hurt anymore. It felt warm and comforting. Just like his mother! And just like when he used his quirk! He should really try using it again, there was probably some improvement since last time.

"No response Midoriya?!"

Izuku gritted his teeth.

That name was reserved for his mother! Not him. It was a disrespect to her name! She didn't deserve any disrespect towards her. She was dead. So no one should use that name again!

"Fuck you!"

"**Hahahahahah, Midoriyaaaa!"**

When Izuku awoke he was alone.

That's odd. Every time he had woken up Nightmare was right there to taunt him or something. Did Nightmare wake him up then run?

Whatever he had more important things to do. Like trying to use his quirk better.

Izuku tried to simulate the same feeling he felt when he moved the lightbulb chain.

Instead of it taking him days to do like before it happened in just a few minutes, albeit a few minutes were he was at full concentration.

He focused on a small rock in the corner of the room. It seems like Nightmare forgot to sweep or something, doesn't really matter to Izuku.

It rolled to the left.

The burning in his eyes and the feeling at the back of his head returned. So the feeling in his eyes and the one in his head were connected somehow. Did using his quirk trigger the feeling in his eyes and head? It seemed like it. But he has felt the feeling before without using his quirk. This was just too confusing. Izuku decided to experiment some more.

"Experiment" really? He's been around Nightmare for too long.

He looked down towards the worn-out scarf still wrapped around his neck. He was so glad it was still there. It was a constant relief to feel it up against his neck at all times.

He tried moving it as a whole but it immediately put too much strain on his mind. It felt like a terrible headache. He probably just needs practice because he's moved this exact scarf a far distance before without even knowing it, not to mention whole bodies.

Izuku decided to try the ends. Slowly move the ends up above his head. Not so hard right.

It took him until the sun went down but he did it. All his hard work paid off! The ends of his scarf were floating above his head, moving slightly.

Time to try again!

Izuku continued to lift his scarf above his head, drop it and repeat.

He was getting faster!

Izuku let out a tiny smile.

His first smile in a long time.

**...**

Izuku was busy practicing his quirk when Nightmare came in with 5 other individuals. They all looked some sort of beaten.

Izuku watched them file in one by one.

First were the two women, next were the three men. Izuku was just glad there weren't any children with them. He didn't need something to happen like Kaito again. The fact that they were doomed to Nightmare's experiments was bad enough.

Nothing was going to save them. The heroes have not shown up once in all the time Izuku has been here. There weren't going to come to save them and neither was Izuku. He couldn't do anything to help them. He was useless. That was a known fact.

He better not get their hopes up.

His new cellmates had finally settled in. Nightmare looked over to Izuku.

"Enjoy your new friends Midoriya!"

"Kiss my ass."

Snap!

Nightmare growled after breaking the stick. He stalked over to Izuku and kicked him in the ribs.

Izuku honestly forgot what Nightmare's kicks felt like. He hadn't done anything to deserve them in a while. Was Nightmare getting weaker? Because that kick barely hurt and Izuku was positive he wasn't getting stronger. With his limited amount of movement, there was absolutely no way for him to get stronger.

"You done now?"

Snap!

"Whatever, the torment you'll feel for the next two weeks is more than enough for me Midoriya!"

"Don't call me that!"

Nightmare span around and walked out the door without acknowledging him. Nightmare made him so angry! He couldn't wait until he somehow, someway got out of here.

Izuku finally took the time to notice the five scared individuals in the room. They looked terrified and frantic. The women were ready to cry and the men were wildly looking around for an escape. Izuku should just let them down now.

"You five have a rare chance of survival. Actually, I would say a miracle would have to happen for you guys to survive past today. Just to let you know."

"What?!"

"No!"

"How could you say that?!"

"I'm getting outta here!"

"You're still alive though!"

Izuku released a chuckle towards there loud responses. They were so naive and positive. You don't get out of here, you can't. Not if you're useless.

"I've been in here for five months and not once has there been any sign of escape. Just enjoy the time you have left."

After that Izuku ignored them for the rest of the time. He was preparing for the screams. He was preparing for that irritating buzzing that was bound to re-emerge.

The first one was taken.

The largest male was pulled out by Nightmare in the middle of his sleep. All the others screamed but by the time he had woken up, struggling was in vain. He was tied up in a similar way that Izuku always was when transported to the experiment room.

It seemed that Izuku was going there less and less. Nightmare was resorting to more unorthodox methods.

That night the buzzing started again. The incessant buzzing was never-ending. Once it started it continued on forever and ever. It burned headaches into his skull. It pierced through all parts of his brain until it disappeared.

It and the screams disappeared. It felt like it was gone and would never come back. Izuku felt blissful. He could still hear the screams in the background, but that was the thing. They were in the background!

So Izuku blocked them out. Izuku thought that maybe if he focused hard enough he would be able to block surrounding sounds and activities manually. Like a meditative technique.

When the last person was whisked away from the room, they thrashed and screamed for help but Izuku was blissfully unaware. He was in his own little space. His heaven if you will. Nothing in his heaven got in or out. It was just him and the calm air around him.

That is until Nightmare came out of nowhere with his foot.

"What the hell are you doing Midoriya?!"

"Ignoring the screams."

Snap!

Did Nightmare snap the stick in his mouth whenever he was angry? It seemed to only happen when he was angry. Did it calm his nerves? Was that how Nightmare restrained from killing Izuku all the time?

Izuku should try that because he has been getting angry easily nowadays.

"You're not supposed to be ignoring them!"

"Ne, Nightmare, do you think you can let me chew on a toothpick too?"

"Shut up! I'll give you something you can't ignore, Midoriya!"

This was different. Where was his father? Where was Nightmare's voice?

Wait. Is he back in Nightmare's body like before?

No this was his body but then why was he holding a knife? Oh, so he's going to be the one stabbing his mother. That's not much different than before. Been there done that. Thought this was going to be different Nightmare!

**_?!_**

What was that?!

That feeling felt so foreign! It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a while!

Was that happiness?

But why?

It happened again!

He didn't do anything!

Again!

The only thing happening was that he was stabbing his mother.

* * *

Was he getting this feeling of happiness from killing his mother?!

How?!

Izuku most definitely did not want her to die, much less by his hand!

So why won't this feeling go away!

He doesn't want to hurt her!

Stop it!

Stop feeling good about it!

...

Izuku begged and begged the 24 times the dream came. He begged to stop feeling happiness from this.

His mother was an angel, what did this make him? A demon? Son of a demon is a demon? Associate with the demon Nightmare and he became a demon too?

When it came around the 25th time Izuku was in a paralyzed, limbo state. He did nothing.

Why?

Because all of this nightmare was nothing. All of the nightmares were nothing. Just a figment of Nightmare's imagination combined with Izuku's traumatic memory. None of this was real. All of it was fake. This feeling wasn't real. This mother in the ground wasn't real either. Reality was much worse.

Instead of killing her now, she was actually dead.

Has been dead for a while. Her corpse burnt in the ashes of his apartment.

It kind of felt like his life right now wasn't real. He wasn't in control at all. He could do nothing.

Nightmare was running the show. Whatever Nightmare wanted to happen happened. If Nightmare wanted Izuku dead, he would be dead. If Nightmare was in control in reality then he was in control of Izuku's nightmares too. Nightmare's nightmares weren't anything but Nightmare's imagination.

So why should he be scared of them? Or him. He was a man. He was a mortal. He could die too. He could pay for what he's done.

That's exactly what Izuku will do. He will make Nightmare pay for what he's done to Izuku's mother and to Izuku!

**...**

**Not as long as the last chapter but I think it's still relatively long. **

**I promise Izuku won't be imprisoned forever, just be patient!**

**Thank you for all the favorites, follows and reviews! :)**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**Living Nightmare part 3 coming soon!**


	5. Living Nightmare(Part 3)

**New chapter here!**

**Not sure if this will be longer or shorter than the last chapter but I'll try to make it long. **

**Months 7-9 right here!**

**We're getting close to 1 year with Nightmare!**

**What'll Izuku do?**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

"Here you go Midoriya. You asked to have a toothpick to chew on, well, this is your prize for sticking with me for 6 months!"

Nightmare shoved a toothpick into Izuku's mouth and laughed like he accomplished something. What he accomplished? Izuku didn't have a clue because this was what Izuku wanted so he was the winner in this situation, right?

For some reason, it really felt like he wasn't the winner. Like Nightmare would win everything, no matter what.

Nightmare really was in control of everything. Nightmare gets him so mad. Calling him that and acting like a king when all he really was was a filthy villain rat. He took orders from All for One, he was no better than him.

Oh, he's getting angry again. Maybe he should try chewing on the toothpick to calm him down.

It was kind of working. Izuku didn't know if it calmed him down because instead of grinding his teeth, he was grinding on something. It didn't make much sense but it was a solace that he was causing something pain while he was being irritated. It gave him some sort of power. As if the toothpick was alive and had feelings.

Maybe he _was _going crazy.

"Screw yourself! And don't call me that!"

"Whatever. I'll be gone all month so try and have some fun by yourself Midoriya!"

Nightmare trudged out the door like he was dreading to go do whatever he had to do next. What did he leave to do anyway? Did he visit people? Did he have friends?

He probably went to find more subjects.

Izuku honestly didn't care too much about what Nightmare did as long as he was left alone. Nightmare was so bothersome.

Izuku held much contempt for Nightmare. The man was irksome, how could he not. Nightmare experimented on him. Nightmare tortured him. Nightmare gave him those redundant nightmares. Seriously those things were dumb. They didn't even affect him anymore. They were so fake they were kind of funny now. None of that stuff was real.

His mother was dead. Nothing would change that. Nightmare had killed her, no one else did. Nothing would change that. Nightmare had ruined his life but All for One has been the orchestrator behind it all. All for One was less in the clear than Nightmare. That man was probably as irksome as Nightmare, maybe even more.

And then there was his father, the main reason behind everything. He caused it all. The moment he decided to burn down his hometown city, he sent Izuku's life into chaos. He ruined Izuku's life at that moment.

All 3 men were the epitome of degenerates. All would get what they deserved but Nightmare was first. He would make Nightmare pay for his mother, forget about him.

How he would make him pay? Izuku didn't know yet. But oddly enough killing the man didn't scare him as much as he thought it would.

And that is what scared Izuku.

What had happened to his dream of being a hero? Heroes don't kill people. What was happening to him? He shouldn't feel so comfortable about killing someone. Only villains did that.

And Izuku was _Not _a villain!

End of discussion.

But it would be self-defense if he had to kill Nightmare when Nightmare attacked him with killing intent. But he'd rather that not happen at all.

Izuku didn't even notice that instead of if he thought of when. Was he subconsciously waiting for it to happen?

* * *

Izuku spent quite a while just basking in the silence. It was so refreshing. Izuku felt all his worries disappear. Not once was he bothered.

He focused on listening to the birds singing in the morning and the cricketing of the crickets during the dark night. Everything was peaceful and nice.

The animals outside were so lucky. They got actual sunlight, while Izuku was stuck with the dumb window and single stream of sunlight. They got to frolic in the fields and enjoy life.

How Izuku wished he could go outside and enjoy the day. Izuku wished that he could sit around in the grass and play with Smiles again.

Nothing could bother him now. Not the dank smell of the room or the buzzing bug that laid on his green scarf.

The bug was starting to bother his peace. Izuku wished the bug would buzz off. It was disturbing his peace and scarf.

Izuku wanted it to get off his scarf!

Izuku started up his quirk and moved his scarf a tiny bit, along with the movement of the quirk he shifted a bit to the right. The fly was startled and ran.

Finally! He could get back to his relaxing. Good thing he had his quirk. But Izuku wouldn't be lying if he said he wished he had better control over it. Then maybe he could do something worthwhile.

With all this time Izuku should be working on his quirk, not thinking about outside!

It was clear that he wouldn't be seeing that anytime soon. Especially if he stayed as useless and powerless as he was now. If he worked and powered up his quirk just maybe he could take out Nightmare and escape.

Izuku continued from where he left off before. He was able to properly and efficiently control the ends of his scarf. The next step would probably be him able to move his scarf entirely.

Izuku set out to work.

* * *

His eyes were alight with the same feeling and usual. It was starting to dim. As if his eyes were adjusting and accommodating the feeling. His head hurt. It stung like crazy but he was making improvements. He could now move his scarf freely.

He could take it on and off fully but it hurt. Twisting it in midair gave him a splitting headache but that wouldn't stop him. He tried lifting it to higher heights to mediocre success.

But what frustrated him a lot was the fact that he couldn't control living things, at least not yet. He tried moving the bug that had placed itself on his scarf but nothing happened. He tried for a while but decided that it was fine because he could just move the nonliving things in or on the body of a living thing.

He tried moving the blood in the organism and was glad to have sensed the blood moving because of him, even though it was almost nonexistent.

Was that how he moved his mother? No. He must have subconsciously aimed at her shirt or some article of clothing and pulled slowly as to not rip the clothing. So that means he can pull heavy things if they're attached to a nonliving thing?

Probably not. He was full of adrenaline and not even thinking about it or properly thinking at all. Pulling something heavy like that was likely to not happen again.

What was very existent was how he could move the fly himself by controlling the wings. He made it fly around the moldy cell until he put too much power into it and ripped the wings of it.

So he could do that now. Izuku felt kind of bad for the bug, but in the end, it was just a measly bug so no real harm was done.

Izuku continued practicing in various ways, nonstop. He hadn't stopped for days.

Maybe days.

Izuku wasn't paying attention to the way the sun would wind down and the moonlight peeked through the window. He was too focused on improving his quirk.

The only time he stopped was when Nightmare barged through the door with a happy smile as if the doorknob was just there for decoration.

"Hey, Midoriya! So a secret has been really eating at my mind and now I'm going to tell you so I can get this weight off my chest you know?"

Izuku was about to say something rash but thought about what Nightmare just said.

A secret? What secret? As much as Izuku wanted to blow Nightmare off his curiosity got the better of him.

"What secret?"

"Well, you know All for One right?"

Izuku gave a slight head nod to signify that he did indeed know about the villainous man.

"Well long story short he's like super powerful."

"I have plenty of time Nightmare. If you didn't notice."

"Fine, fine. I guess I should start off with his quirk then. Well, he's able to take and give quirks away!"

Izuku was understandably skeptical.

"That not possible."

"Right! That what I said! But no, for real and he has like hundreds of them! He's crazy powerful! Has been for hundreds of years!"

"Hundreds of quirks?!"

"Yea! Crazy strong. Unbeatable! But what's crazier is that he's been alive for hundreds of years! Some longevity quirk or something. No one's been able. "

"Makes sense. Wait. What about All Might. Can't he beat him even with all those quirks?"

"They fought in the past a-bit they were essentially even! All for One barely got away, bloody and heavily injured and All Might was left barely standing! I heard All Might was even missing his stomach and a lung now. How he's alive is a mystery to me! Supposedly they're archenemies!"

"That's not possible! It would have been on the news or something!"

"The government kept it under wraps. Your not unfamiliar to situations like that, considering your father. The fight happened like 3 years ago."

3 years ago? What big fights did All Might have 3 years ago?

The Toxic Chainsaw attack?! Was that just a lie? Did they say it was Toxic Chainsaw when it was All for One the whole time?

Forget that! What about the fact that he is so strong that even All Might couldn't fully stop him! How was Izuku suppose to make him pay now?! This was so infuriating!

_Snap!_

Oh!

Izuku just broke his toothpick! At least he calmed down now. His quirk was starting to go off without his permission. He could hear the rocks vibrating on the concrete surface, getting ready to roll around the room. He was lucky that Nightmare seemed ignorant towards what was happening to Izuku. He needed to calm down.

So what? He was that powerful, big deal. As long as your smart enough you can overpower anyone and once he made Nightmare pay All for One would be next.

No, if, and's or buts about it.

"Oh, Midoriya did that upset you?! Here take another one, and with that, I'm off again. I'll see you tomorrow for the start of month 8! I think a nightmare is a good start Midoriya!

Nightmare skipped out of the room and slammed the door shut but only after roughly placing a toothpick in Izuku's mouth.

**...**

"I told you that we were starting off the month with a nightmare didn't I Midoriya?"

Izuku was seriously not in the mood for Nightmare's crap right now. Izuku woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Izuku swore that if Nightmare stuck his hand in Izuku's face he would end up losing a finger.

"Fuck you! Don't call me that!"

Nightmare ignored Izuku and reached a hand out towards him.

_Chomp!_

Izuku actually bit his hand! He didn't plan on actually getting this far! Um, next was to bite down as hard as he could and pull, right?

That's exactly what he did.

Nightmare howled in pain with a murderous gleam in his eyes. With a swift and fast yank of the hand, it was out of Izuku's mouth and clutched into Nightmare's other hand. Some fingers were definitely going to have permanent damage.

Izuku didn't have much time to think about what state Nightmares fingers were in because he was on the end of a relentless beating.

Nightmare was rapidly punching with his good hand and forcefully kicking him all over the place. First the face a couple of times then the ribs and then the stomach.

Izuku won't lie, that hurt. A lot. Izuku will also admit that he has gained a very high pain tolerance, what with all the pain he has been inflicted. Oh, and the nightmares too, he felt all of that!

Nightmare finally finished his assault when he decided to pull out the 27 toothpicks again.

Izuku really shouldn't have bit the dumbass's hand. Forget about what he was saying about pain tolerance, those things hurt like hell.

And Izuku has practically felt hell.

In the nightmares he's been burnt to a crisp, so fiery hell was right up his… pain… alley?

Slowly one by one Nightmare positioned the sticks into place in Izuku's skin.

How was it that Nightmare still remembered where Izuku's most painful places were?!

These things hurt!

After the agonizing minutes of Nightmare slowly putting them in he was finally finished. Izuku quickly realized that if he didn't move they didn't really hurt. But the slightest shift of his body sent the painful waves flowing through his body.

So the plan was not to move for the what, a week? Nightmare usually did things on week by week schedule. And Izuku really hoped it wasn't more than one week.

"Stay like that for a week you brat!"

Izuku called it.

Nightmare shouted at Izuku and then stalked out probably to bandage his damaged hand. Izuku really didn't care what he was going to, whether it was to bandage his hand or go kill himself, what Izuku really cared for what that he was going to have these sticks in him for a week.

It's not even scary or horrifying for him, it was just bothersome. Like an annoying little brother. Well, Izuku didn't know what that actually was like, being a sibling-less child but from what he's seen and heard they can be quite annoying at times.

So like when someone has to babysit that vexing child, Izuku has to 'watch' the vexing sticks inside him.

For the entire week.

Day in and day out.

For the entire week, Izuku barely moved. And when he did he was gradually becoming used to the stinging pain that coursed through him but none of that was as bad as the displeasing man that entered the room at the end of the week.

Izuku would have had something spiteful to say but Nightmare was his only shot at getting the sticks out of him, so he carefully watched as Nightmare approached and slowly removed the sticks.

They didn't hurt upon removal anymore. That's a great improvement. Before they had hurt just as much as when they first went in when they were taken out.

"How's it going Midoriya?!"

"Now that you're here, worse."

"Hahaha! That's grea-!"

Is Nightmare getting calls in the middle of when he's talking becoming a routine? It felt like it happened very often.

Nightmare paused and looked at his phone. His gaze narrowed at the cellular device. From what Izuku could see it said 'AFO'. AFO? Did that stand for All for One? That made the most sense.

"Yes!"

Oh, Nightmare was not happy to hear from AFO at all. The way he huffed out that greeting made him resemble an indignant child.

Once again Nightmare had paced away from Izuku so he couldn't hear the other side of the conversation. That was pretty annoying. Izuku wanted to know what was going on!

"No, I will not! I am busy!"

Busy doing what?

"Find someone else! I've got better things to do!"

That's highly doubtful.

But if Nightmare was seriously talking to AFO like this, did he want a death wish? He clearly understood the power AFO had. So has Nightmare finally lost it? That was the only explanation for his actions.

"Don't call again, I quit! And I really don't care what happens to people who quit! Just try it!"

And with that, the (finally concluded) mentally disabled man just signed his death wish. Well, that was the only thing that could have meant right? That's what it sure sounded like to Izuku.

"You just signed your death wish Nightmare."

"Shut the fuck up Midoriyaaa!"

The slight hesitation and extra precautious movements Nightmare made before snatching Izuku's face gave Izuku a moment of happiness. Even Nightmare was somewhat scared of him.

Ha!

Teach you to stick your calloused hand in his face! Not if you don't want your fingers aching for days! Izuku only assumed so, because of the bandages that still remained on his hands.

In reality, Nightmare giving Izuku nightmares was redundant. He no longer felt anything towards them. They were a make-believe fantasy world that Nightmare created. What was scary about that? Once you realize that even the "people" there couldn't hurt you and they weren't real, the whole scariness appeal disappears. When you are in a fake world the pain is fake too. Just don't believe in it.

So ultimately the week of nightmares was a waste of time because Izuku sure didn't feel any fear from them.

**...**

"I don't care if you've been here for 8 months, you should still feel fear!"

"Sorry?"

Was Izuku suppose to feel bad about that?

"You make me so angry! No! All for One is the one who really makes me angry!"

"It's your fault you know."

"I hate you Midoriya!"

"Mutual."

Nightmare quickly placed the sticks into Izuku and charged out the door.

Izuku was seriously getting tired of this. They still hurt when he moved but nothing more than the feeling of a somewhat powerful slap.

Izuku missed food. When he thinks about the fact that the only things that have been in his mouth the past 8 months were, the toothpick that's there at all times, Nightmares hand and the musty and dusty air of the cell, he really really would like some food or maybe some water. A piping hot plate of food and a cold glass of any beverage ever, it did not matter what it was.

It was one of the things at the top of his wish list, along with avenging his mother and getting out of here to continue with his quest but for now, at this exact moment, something to eat and drink would top all others. Because come on it has been 8 months!

Wow, 8 months?

Izuku never really thought about what was happening out in the real world but 8 months is a long time. Had some new heroes come onto the scene? How were all of his classmates at the school he would have attended? How old was Izuku anyways?

Last he remembers he was 11.

When he got here it was around the beginning of April and his birthday is July 15th so that meant…

He was like 12 and a half already!

He's been here that long?! So long that he missed his birthday and was halfway onto his next one?

Would it be too much to ask Nightmare to let him go outside when he became 13?

Izuku never got to continue his rambling in his head because 5 new individuals entered the cell room.

It was pointless to acknowledge them so Izuku closed his eyes to ignore them. There was no saving them and getting to know them would only cause problems. If Izuku didn't know anything about them then maybe the buzzing would never come back. It seemed like a reasonable theory.

So Izuku ignored them. Even when they begged him for answers. Even when they got angry and yelled at him for answers. Even when they were taken away kicking and crying for help. Even when they screamed in pain as Nightmare experimented on them.

Izuku ignored them and the buzzing never came back. For that, he was eternally grateful. That constant buzzing he heard before during the screams hurt so much he felt like his head was splitting in half.

The buzzing was on another level compared to the sticks. The sticks actually barely hurt anymore. He could move around and only a tinge of pain could be felt. It was like the sticks weren't even really there. Except that they were.

Some people in his situation would probably be upset at the fact that Nightmare was paying attention to other people but he could only feel relief. Even though other people were hurting while he was getting a break, it was a humongous weight off his back.

All it meant was that Nightmare was busy with others and that left no time for Izuku in his schedule. And Izuku had no problem with that.

Actually to be honest he quite preferred that instead of being at the head of the provoking man's torment. The man was seriously a sadist or something.

Especially the way a new batch of 5 people came in each week. Like seriously how much pain do you need to inflict on people?! Does it fuel his quirk or something because this seriously was inhumane! Not that in this day and age people can really be labeled as human. What with mutation quirks and what not.

Oh, there goes group 4.

Maybe he should say bye.

Nah.

That might get their hopes up and would be cruel. Izuku really wouldn't be able to deal with that. It was already hard enough knowing he was useless to help them at all times of the day. Getting their hopes up and doing nothing was really villainous.

How ironic that the moment he thinks of the word villainous Nightmare decided to come through his front door. Front cell... door?

No.

Just cell.

Just stupid prison cell.

He was getting really tired of being stuck here. Just let him out and free!

"Well, well, well if it isn't Midoriya. Still here after 9 months?"

"Not really able to go anywhere. But hey how long do I have to stay here?"

_Snap!_

That's all it took to get him angry.

Wow.

9 months and he still hasn't gotten a better temper. Heck, it was probably worse than before, actually.

"Are you stupid?! You're staying with me FOREVER Midoriyaaaa!"

That creepy smile on Nightmare's face really made him want to groan but he held it because he did not need to feel Nightmare's foot right now.

**...**

**I think a solid 4k words is a good amount for a chapter. So that's what is probably going to be the same amount for the next chapter. **

**Tell me if anything is confusing or if my grammar is bad or anything because I like reviews. **

**I go back and re-read my work but no one is perfect so I probably miss some mistakes. **

**Also, maybe I should rate this as Teen, at least for now because there really isn't anything more than blood, torture, and swears. Does that qualify for Teen? Maybe? Someone should really tell me.**

**The next chapter will hold the next 3 months. Izuku will be with Nightmare for an entire year. **

**Will Izuku make some moves?**

**Living Nightmare Part 4 coming soon!**


	6. Living Nightmare(Part 4)

**Months 10-12. **

**Just what will happen? A lot can happen in 3 months right?**

**Who knows? Maybe you just got to read to find out. **

**Italics by themselves are noises. For example _Snap!_**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

Izuku swears that Nightmare was stupid.

Like seriously.

Nightmare had to have known by now that his nightmares did nothing to Izuku.

It doesn't matter if it was a day worth, a week's worth or even a year's worth. Izuku really didn't care because they were extremely redundant. No matter how long he had them, he would no longer feel anything towards them.

How could he? They were fake. Created from Nightmare's twisted and warped imagination.

He would feel nothing towards them and have no reaction either.

But the way Nightmare reacted was great.

Nightmare would get so pissed, it was kind of funny. Even though he had brought in a whole new group of 5 people, that little fact could make him mad.

What wasn't funny was how one of those in that dumb group was making him mad!

A stupid kid thought it was good to show off his pride like a badge of honor and throw insults at Izuku.

Izuku could handle petty insults. He practically, or maybe actually, lived with Nightmare for heaven's sake. Insults towards him were commonplace.

It wouldn't be fair to not just shake them off. The kid was obviously shaken up and just trying to take his hope and bolster it. Even though it was pointless and annoying.

"Just you watch you pessimistic guy, I'll get out of here! But when I do, I'm leaving your ugly ass behind!"

All Izuku did was warn them of their imminent future. The insults weren't really necessary.

"You do that."

"I will! No one needs you anyway, what was it? Midoriya!"

The boy was crossing lines that Izuku really wished he wouldn't.

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?! Does it remind you of your life before you were a dumbass and got stuck here?! Actually, I bet you got left!"

"If I'm a dumbass for getting stuck in here what does that make you?!"

Izuku really shouldn't be instigating this but the kid was coming real close to mentioning his mother. And Izuku has no idea what he would do to the kid if he did.

"I bet you, the retard, got left by your retarded mother and father!"

_Snap!_

Immediately the burning in his eyes and feeling in his head came back full force.

Was this kid serious?!

Did he just really say that about his mother?!

Who the fuck did he think he was?!

Saying the names reserved for his mother was one thing!

But he just crossed, skipped and jumped over a big fucking line!

This **asshole **needed to repent!

Izuku was so upset he couldn't really focus his eyes but when he did they landed on the scumbag's left hand fingers.

**Break them!**

Izuku used his quirk to latch onto the boy's fingernails and pull. Fingernails worked because they weren't living things. He could move them however he wanted.

He pulled in all different directions. Bending and breaking them in horrific ways.

If Izuku wasn't the cause of the breaks or so consumed anger at the moment he might have cringed and felt sorry for the wailing boy.

If Izuku wasn't so distracted at the moment he might have also noticed how the chains and rocks around the room began to shake.

Everything in the room began to vibrate as if an earthquake had torn through the cell.

Everyone was in shock and didn't want to break the silence that was cast. Silence beside the boy screaming in pain but that was irrelevant. Irrelevant because Nightmare had charged through the door.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Nightmare's shout caused all the other inmates to tense in fear. None of them wanted to answer.

Except for the boy in pain. He wanted revenge. He wanted to snitch on Izuku and make him pay.

"He-He-He used his quirk on me! He b-broke my fingersss!"

"What! He doesn't have a quirk stop lying!"

Nightmare surprisingly didn't take lies well.

Even though it wasn't really a lie.

And it was clear that Nightmare hadn't gotten the memo that Izuku had a quirk.

Well, it was only fair. Izuku hadn't gotten it either and it was _his _quirk!

Regardless Izuku realized he could spin this on the boy. Nightmare didn't believe he had a quirk and if he had a choice, he never would.

Time for Izuku to turn this situation into an advantage for him.

Izuku released a sad chuckle. He really had to play this off.

"Damnit. I told you your plan wouldn't work."

Izuku also added a sigh to the end of his sentence, just for good measure.

"What?!"

The simultaneous yell almost made Izuku release a real chuckle. It was a little bit funny how the boy's shout was more like a shriek of horror and Nightmare's shout was more like a growl. Two almost opposite tones of voice but both worked perfectly right now.

Izuku almost chuckled but held it in to see the results of his thought in the spot plan.

Nightmare regarded Izuku for a minute then walked over, plopped a new toothpick in Izuku's mouth and span around.

He stalked over to the petrified boy and unshackled him. Then he continued with all the others. No one could speak, the silence was thick because they all knew what was going to happen.

Izuku definitely felt bad about it but you _do not talk about his mother like that. _

The more Izuku thought about it the worse he felt. He. had practically sent those people to their deaths.

Izuku knew he was upset but he went too far. Since when did Izuku become so ruthless? Since when had Izuku let his anger control him so much that he would do something like that?

How could he let his anger control him?

He really wasn't control of anything in his life. Not where he was. Not who he was or what he did.

Could he really be considered a person anymore? A person is able to do what they want and live their life. He wasn't able to do anything like that.

All he was able to do was find solace in practicing his quirk.

Nightmare hasn't come by in a while so Izuku is pretty sure he's in the clear to practice his quirk without getting caught.

The sun has risen and fallen a couple of times since Izuku started his practice.

He started by moving his scarf as a refresher. He immediately felt the burning in his eyes and the sensation in the back of his head simmer until it was barely even recognizable. It felt like nothing was even there and that maybe Izuku would be able to improve upon his quirk.

He freely moved his quirk off his neck and up into the air where he twirled it in the air like one of those girls that performed on stage with a baton. It was graceful and fluid.

Izuku decided to see how fast he could start up his quirk, turn it off and start it up again. It took him about 5 seconds to accomplish the task.

Izuku practicing with his quirk nonstop was a routine by now. What else could he do with all his time? He desperately wanted to become proficient with his quirk so that he could get out of this godforsaken place.

After a long while of training, Izuku shorted the startup time until it was around 2 seconds. That was a great improvement for Izuku. With not many things to feel accomplished for in this cell, he would take all the good things he could get.

Izuku decided to take a brain rest when Nightmare walked into the room to talk to Izuku.

"Congrats on 10 months Midoriya! I'm so proud of you!"

"Don't be."

"Ahh don't be like th-"

_Snap!_

The echo of the phone that bounced off the walls was becoming way too common. Like why was Nightmare so popular anyway?

Whoever was calling him, Nightmare was not excited for.

"Why are you calling me?!"

Who was he talking to?

"I don't care if I haven't worked in a while, did t I already tell you I quit!?"

He quit? The last person Izuku remembers Nightmare saying that too was All for One. All for One was calling him again?

"Are you threatening me All for One?! Well newsflash, I don't care! Just try it!"

Woah, woah, woah! Nightmare is insane! He was being threatened by All for One and he said 'he doesn't care'? He seriously wanted to die.

What about Izuku?! A fight can't happen here! Izuku will get caught in the middle! Why was there no consideration for him?!

Nightmare slammed on the hangup button and strutted for the door. Once he reached it he jarred it shut all without acknowledging Izuku at all.

Izuku seriously wondered why this had happened to him.

**…**

Izuku awoke to the sounds of lots of banging and shouting. The shouting was muffled by the door so he couldn't make out the words but it was clearly two males. Even though the door muffled the shouts the bangs were as loud as can be.

Were they fighting!?

_Bang!_

They were most definitely fighting out there!

Who was out there fighting? It had to be Nightmare and someone else. But who? Who would want to fight and probably kill Nightmare? All for One did threaten him but that was like what? A day, maybe two ago!? All for One was that fast?!

Wait no! All for One wouldn't have struggled this much! From what Nightmare describes him as he was super powerful. Not someone who went toe to toe with someone like Nightmare. Nightmare didn't even have a combatant type quirk.

All for One most definitely sent one of his lousy henchmen. Argh! Izuku thought that maybe he would finally get out of here.

Izuku knew Nightmare wasn't the best but he was no pushover. The man had good reflexes and strong limbs. Honestly, the bite Izuku gave him had to have been by luck because that shouldn't have really happened.

It's been quiet for a while. What was happening?

_Crash!_

_Thump!_

Was that glass!? And that thump sounded like someone falling to the ground. But who? Did Nightmare lose or the mystery man?

Those noises had to have signified the fight ended. Probably with a glass object to the head. After that, the victim of the glass attack slumped to the ground unconscious. At least that's what Izuku deducted from the noises.

A couple of minutes later Nightmare swung the door open with a man dressed in black over his shoulder. Nightmare dropped the man on the floor and chained him up, all while grumbling under his breath about something.

When he finished to turned to address Izuku.

"In all my time here not once have I been attacked! Right? That's right Midoriya, right?! Not once in all of your 10 months here have you ever heard of something like this?! The audacity!"

Why was he asking Izuku? As if Izuku would take his side. Nightmare could eat his left toe for all he cared.

"I don't know."

"Curse that All for One!"

Oh, so this was All for One's doing? Makes sense. Who else would do something like this? But this was good information for Izuku to remember. All for One really does keep his promises. He threatened Nightmare and a couple of days later he tried to go through with the attack.

Even though it failed miserably. Well, it wasn't really that bad of a failure because Nightmare did look injured but it was a failure nonetheless.

"I've got to make some preparations so I'm not going to see you for the rest of the month. Have fun with this dumbass Midoriya!"

With that Nightmare exited the cell and left the beaten and bloody man with him.

Was this guy a villain? He would probably be devastated at his loss and try to take it out on Izuku. Izuku would tolerate it unless he said something about his mother. That was when Izuku would have to do something and the man really didn't want that because no one would be here to at the very least bandage his hand.

So Izuku waited for the presumed villain lackey to wake up. Maybe they would have a civilized conversation?

Izuku could only hope for the best.

Izuku watched the man wake up approximately 5, maybe 6 hours later.

He blinked his bleary eyes awake and yawned. He stared at Izuku and blatantly asked.

"I lost didn't I?"

Izuku was shocked that the man had taken the loss so well.

"It would seem so."

Izuku didn't want to rile the man up so he stuck to neutral wording.

The man released an exhausted sigh.

"Whatever. I didn't even want to do this anyway."

What? He didn't want to do this? What was 'this' anyway? Was 'this' counted as trying to kill Nightmare? Was he forced to do 'this' or something?

"You didn't want to do what?"

"Go on this mission or anything villainous at all. Like it is so annoying how just because I did martial arts when I was younger automatically made me qualified for this."

"Don't take this the wrong way but I really don't believe you. How would you be involved in villainous activities if you didn't want to be involved in them? We're you forced into it?"

It almost slipped his mind that some villains aren't villains by choice. They are forced to be that way.

"Well I mean, I only agreed to do this so that me and my brother would get out of debt."

"Debt? To whom?"

"That bastard All for One! He's using my little brother like a slave! Once I pay that debt back I'll kill him!"

All for One was getting more despicable by the day for Izuku. He was using people as slaves? Wasn't that concept terminated many years ago? It was practically pointless once quirks came around. Although All for One is said to be hundreds of years old so he was probably around when slavery was popular. How old was his brother? If All for One was using children, then he would immediately go down as the worst person in history.

"How old is your brother?"

"Probably around your age, maybe older."

"I should be around 12 now."

"He's fourteen… Wait? What do you mean should be? Don't you know your own age?"

"I've been stuck in here for a while. If I believe what Nightmare has said, around the 10 months but who knows if I can really trust him."

"Dang."

"Yeah."

"Say listen kid. You want payback against Nightmare right?"

Izuku nodded his head with a resolved look in his eyes.

"Ok good. When we find a way I want you to take this card out of my front pocket and go to the man on it. The man was my sensei. The best of the best. If I had more dedication I would have been able to take out Nightmare without a sweat but I had to take care of my brother among other things. Once you get out of here please go and get trained by him. Just tell him my name and he'll train you for a bit."

"You really think we're getting out of here?"

"No, I don't. I think that you'll be able to get out of here, not me. I'm probably done for so I'm asking you as a last wish type of thing to get payback on Nightmare and All for One."

"You really think I can beat them both with a little martial arts? You must be crazy."

"Hey! Don't knock the martial arts. Your limbs have a lot more power and ability than you think. But no not just that but with some weapons, a quirk and dedication and I think you could do it. What do you say?"

"Sure. If I ever get out of here I'll do just that."

"Not if but when. Hey, what is your quirk anyway?"

Izuku activated his quirk to show rather than tell. He focused on the card poking out of the man's pocket. With one swift movement, the card was across the room and stuffed into his scarf in between his neck.

"Well, that's good. What is it telekinesis?"

Izuku responded with an affirmative grunt.

"Oh, that's cool. Your eyes turn red too?"

This caught Izuku extremely off guard. What was he talking about? His eyes were green not red!

"What are you talking about!? My eyes are green not red!"

"Chill kid I'm just pointing it out! Your eyes went from green to red once you used your quirk. I'm a little surprised you didn't know that already."

"Sorry about that. That just… Nevermind it kind of makes sense. But I realized I had a quirk once I got here so."

When his eyes burned was his eyes changing colors? Why would they do that? Was it part of his quirk? A genetic thing? Like his father's eyes. Was it because of the experiments Nightmare has done on him? It had to be something not normal because people's eyes changing color was not normal.

"You thought you were quirkless?"

Another grunt for confirmation.

"Wow, I won't ask how but that's crazy. How come you haven't used it to try and get out of here?"

"Nightmare still doesn't know I have it and I would rather use it when I was positive that it would be beneficial."

"Why don't we find a way to make it beneficial?"

"You have a plan?"

"Not entirely but it involves your quirk. Oh and you can call me Esomi."

"I have a feeling we will work well together Esomi. You can call me… Deku."

Izuku and Esomi decided that the best course of action at the moment would be to improve Izuku's quirk abilities.

Izuku has never tried to lift something somewhat heavy. All he's ever tried was lightweight things. Like a fly, rocks and his scarf. So that was first.

Esomi instructed Izuku to try and lift his combat knife out of its holster. He got it up to about the height of a grown man's knee then it just his head too much and he dropped it.

They continued that until he could successfully lift it over Esomi's head and around the height of the window. It took him a while, maybe a week? but he's got it now the next step was moving it around just like he did with his scarf. Fluidly.

Izuku's skill at using his own quirk was increasing drastically. Instead of taking as long as it did when he practiced moving his scarf, the time it took was cut in half. He could move the knife easily around the cell like it was a paper airplane in a gentle breeze.

"Hey, while you've been practicing I've been thinking. Maybe we could do a surprise attack on him with the knife?"

"Like what? When he turns his back to me I slice his throat? I know he's evil but I'm not really in the killing business."

"Fine then. Slice his leg tendons then. Once that happens drag his body over by his clothing or something and take the keys out of his pocket and violà! We have successfully escaped!"

"I don't it will be that easy, but not a bad plan."

And with that, they waited. They waited and waited until Nightmare would reward them with his presence. Honestly, Izuku was getting restless from all this waiting.

Seriously where the hell was he!

Right when Izuku thought they were going to go crazy and start shouting for Nightmare to _get his ass in here! _Suddenly Nightmare decided to show his ugly mug.

If this plan doesn't go right, ohhh is Izuku going to be upset. They spent way too much time working on the plan and Nightmare spent way too much time away.

"The time flies doesn't it Midoriya? It felt like just last week I killed your mother, burnt down your apartment and brought you here but to think that that happened a full 11 months ago is really making me feel old!"

"I hate you!"

"Whatever Midoriya. I have more important things to do. You over there."

Esomi threw Izuku a questioning glance.

Nightmare turned towards Esomi and stalked towards him. Then Nightmare outstretched his hand as if asking for something.

"Give me the knife. I've been so busy I almost forgot about it but I have time to grab it now so hand it over."

_Snap!_

Izuku's eyes bulged.

_No way!_

All of that prep for nothing!

Izuku was so lost in denial he didn't even realize that Nightmare had reached down and plucked the knife from its holster and preceded to walk towards the door.

Izuku finally noticed what was going on when Nightmare gave him a new toothpick and a few words as a parting gift.

"I'll be back tomorrow!"

All of their hard work was now for naught.

They were never getting out of here!

They would be stuck in here forever!

Everything Nightmare did was to make Izuku mad. That had to be Nightmare's sole purpose in like because right now… Izuku was pissed!

So pissed that the familiar heat in his returned.

"Hey, Hey! Deku! Chill out! That red in your eyes doesn't look safe right now!"

What?

His eyes were red even though he wasn't using his quirk?

"What do you mean there red? I'm not using my quirk."

"I don't know man but once you started getting mad your eyes changed but now that you've calmed down there back to normal."

How was that possible? Izuku knew it was connected to his quirk but maybe it was connected to something else also? What were the conditions that made his eyes change this time?

He was angry and… that was it. All he felt was anger. So were his eyes really connected to his anger or his quirk? Or was it both. From experience, Izuku would have to say both.

When he uses his quirk his eyes change colors and when he gets angry his eyes change colors.

So it was probably a thing in him that changed it. It wasn't a quirk thing so maybe he could manually change the colors?

That could be very useful for changing identities or something along those lines.

"I think my eyes are connected to both my anger and my quirk."

"That's crazy. I've never heard of something like that unless it was only connected to someone's quirk."

"Me neither."

"Anyways, now we have to come up with a new plan."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?"

"I failed and I was useless once again and now you're going to probably get experimented on tomorrow."

"In no way did you fail or were useless Deku. Wait. Is that why you told me to call you that? Because you think you're useless?"

"It's obvious, no?"

"You're not useless! Is your real name Midoriya?"

"I **don't **use that name anymore. If you really don't want to call me Deku then call me by my first name. Izuku."

"All right then _Izuku,_ if what you say is true we need a new plan, and fast."

"What else can we use?"

"Are there any weapons in this room?"

"No, Nightmare usually cleans the room every few weeks."

"Anything on you?"

"I don't have anything besides this toothpick, but that's on me at all times."

"We can use that to our advantage, maybe?"

Really?

Use a toothpick, was he serious?

What did he want to do? Stab him in the neck with it and expect it to hurt him.

**Wait!**

Izuku remembered that when he was younger he was obsessed with heroes. He would stay up long nights just reading and researching about them.

Izuku remembered this one hero that had been paralyzed from the waist down by nothing more than a tiny stab in a certain area of the neck.

If Izuku could recreate that but instead of a hero getting paralyzed it was Nightmare that would be awesome then he could get the keys no problem.

"Yea. Actually, we can."

Izuku went on to explain his thought process and the new plan to Esomi. Once everything was situated he began to practice with the toothpick to make sure this goes right. Nothing would mess this up again.

They would get out of here.

**…**

Izuku feels like he's being woken up to the sound of two people struggling way too often. First was when Esomi and Nightmare fought not it was Esomi trying not to be taken away by Nightmare.

**_!?_**

Wait!

What?!

Esomi was already getting taken away!

"Stop struggling! Midoriya I wouldn't wait for this one!"

"Izuku just promise me one thing! When you get out of here and come across my brother tell him I loved him! His name is Sasomi! He has black hair and green hands! Please!"

"Yeah of course! I promise I'll get out of here! I'll wait for you too!"

With those last words, the door was slammed shut, cutting Izuku off from Esomi and Nightmare.

So Izuku waited.

He waited days to see if Esomi would come back.

During those days instead of idly standing by he set out to work.

He wanted to gain the ability to change his eye color at will.

Izuku focused on the burning feeling he felt when it happened. He felt the flame flicker for a second but nothing more than flickers. He tried for days.

First, he held it for 10 seconds then gradually he built it up until it held for 10 minutes without stopping. Once he got to 10 minutes the intense burning came back.

10 minutes is plenty of time to use his ability whenever he needed to. But for extra measure, he decided to only use it to show his anger or intimidation because honestly he would get destroyed in a fight. So if he could avoid a fight but acting tough with intimidating eyes, then that was the best choice to go. At least until he trained with Esomi's sensei and would be able to back those eyes up.

Izuku waited some more days. He wanted Esomi to come back. He was just as responsible for the plan as Izuku was and it wouldn't be fair for Izuki to get out and not Esomi.

Izuku knew Esomi was probably dead by now but he still had some hope. So he told himself he would wait until 3 weeks had passed and then act in the plan.

Izuku had already spent a week and a half working on his eyes, so he had another week and a half to wait and do something productive.

Nothing more productive than working on his quirk and thinking about what he's going to do once he escaped.

First, he would raid Nightmare's kitchen. Izuku seriously forgets what food feels like. His tongues taste buds haven't felt the texture of solid food in almost a whole year. That definitely has to come first. Food and water.

Then he would take a shower. Take all the gross shit off him!

Then he would have to look in the mirror. He would have to see what he looked like. What Nightmare had down to him.

What did he look like? Did he look a year older? Probably, he was a year older after all. Maybe he looked unsightly with all of his scars scattered around his body. He had scars on his face, on his arms, his hands and his legs. Nightmare really was thorough. At least he didn't touch Izuku's golden nuggets.

After he finished with all the sanitary things he would most definitely take Nightmare's toothpicks and some sort of hoodie to block his face. He really didn't need attention. Even though everyone had either forgot about him or presumed him dead, he really didn't need to be noticed. He had plans. Right away he would make his way to Esomi's sensei and get trained.

* * *

This was the week!

Nightmare had stopped by a couple of times before but Izuku ignored him. Izuku was waiting to see the shock on Nightmare's face when he wouldn't be able to move his legs and watched Izuku unchain himself from the wall and walk away.

That would be priceless!

Now all there was left was to do was flawlessly execute the plan.

For Esomi and for his mother!

Nightmare entered the room and twirled around facing the door.

Izuku already was using his quirk on the stick in his mouth. Once Nightmare turned around Izuku lined the toothpick up and got really for it to land in the man's neck, paralyzing the man.

"Ahhh! Isn't this awesome Midoriya?! We've been together for a whole year! Don't you think we should celebrate?!"

"I have the perfect way to celebrate!"

Before Nightmare even had the ability to turn around the toothpick was forced in between two of his vertebra and send Nightmare cascading to the ground.

"Whaaaaa?! I can't move my legs!"

Izuku couldn't help but shout in victory.

"Yes! Now to get out of here!"

Izuku aimed his quirk towards the key in the man's pocket but the man was smarter than he looked.

Nightmare immediately latched his hand down on the key, blocking Izuku's view and subsequently making any attempts on getting the key redundant.

"So you really did have a quirk?! I will fucking kill you!"

Nightmare started to crawl towards the still chained up Izuku.

Izuku was panicking. This wasn't supposed to happen! Nightmare was supposed to give up! He wasn't giving up, instead, he looked even more determined to kill him than ever!

Izuku had to do something! Forget about not killing him! This was self-defense!

Izuku used his quirk to unravel his scarf and place it around Nightmare's neck. Once it touched Izuku wrapped it around Nightmare in an attempt to choke him.

Nightmare stopped crawling and desperately clawed at the bloody scarf. The scarf had gotten more blood on it thanks to the toothpick wound Izuku have him. It surprisingly produced lots of blood.

Izuku tightened the scarf. Cutting off Nightmares air circulation. Almost crushing his windpipes. Izuku didn't let up until the man fell limp on the floor and even then Izuku waited about 20 seconds before letting it go and putting it around his own neck.

Izuku had better get out of here before his adrenaline stops pumping through his body.

Izuku pried the key from Nightmare's lifeless hands with his quirk and quickly freed himself. His wrist forgot what it felt like to not be pressed against the aching metal.

His wrist felt like the moment when a person jumped straight into freezing cold water. Freezing, icy and hurting but also so reinvigorating. He felt like doing jazz hands but he had more important things to do.

Like go and grab that food and water.

Izuku opened up the cell door that had blocked him off from escape for so long and entered the kitchen.

He didn't care enough to take in the decor of the kitchen, he was more interested in the refrigerator.

Izuku swung the fridge door open. He would have also opened the freezer one but he didn't have a lot of time.

Izuku wasn't really sure why he felt like he had to leave as soon as possible. Maybe because he killed the man but either way his instincts were telling him to do what he needed to do and get the hell out of there.

He set every single item of the fridge in the counter and began to devour everything. Izuku did worry about what he was eating just that it was food. Oh how desperately he wanted food.

After 10 minutes of munching and crunching on the contents of the fridge, he set out for the bathroom that was conveniently located exactly opposite the kitchen.

Izuku entered and stripped himself of his old clothes. He put his scarf and shoes in a special spot away from the water. He would throw the other clothing away but neither of those. They both held sentimental value.

Izuku walked into he was in front of the mirror. The pensive surface only showed him from the neck up but if he moved his arms above his head he could get a clear view of them. All he really wanted to see was his face.

Izuku wanted to see all the scars. He took in the scar running across his chin and the one running across his cheek just under his right eye. Izuku took in the lopped off tip of his right ear. His face truly was unsightly.

His hair had grown crazier too. He was in desperate need of a hair cut but he kind of liked how a bunch of loose strands covered his eyes. Maybe he would leave it.

Izuku changed his eye color to really see what it looked like. Red slowly began to fill in his irises from the outside perimeter of his irises. His eyes looked exactly like his father's. Glowing, bloody red. Izuku switched them back to green.

Izuku decided to look at his arms. They were littered with little scars all over but the most prominent one was the patch of wrinkly and pink skin with a large 'N' carved through it on his left forearm. Was there a way to get rid of that?

Izuku didn't really care what his legs looked like but when he looked down he realized he would have to start wearing pants for now on. His legs were just as scarred as his arms but a little less.

Izuku carefully pulled the shower curtain aside and turned the nozzle to the right. He needed a warm shower right now. Nothing too hot but nothing too cold. It was decently chilly outside after all.

Izuku stepped in the shower and waited 5 minutes to just feel water dripping down his body. Starting from the top of his head and ending at his toes.

Izuku grabbed the soap and sniffed it. It smelt like peppermints. For a demon, Nightmare has surprisingly good taste in soap smells. Peppermint was a pretty good choice in Izuku's book. He even had peppermint as his soaps scent a few times in his life.

Izuku rigorously scrubbed all the blood, dirt and filth off of him. His skin had a hint of pink to it by the time he was finished.

He stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off. Once dried off he picked up his shoes and scarf and searched for Nightmare's old room.

He walked by the experimentation room and was tempted to look in there but decided not to. He really didn't want to see a maybe discombobulated or decapitated Esomi.

Izuku turned a corner and approached a door. The door obviously led to Nightmare's room if the sign on the front of it indicated anything. He walked in and reached the dresser full of clothes.

He pulled out a black hoodie that was a little too big and pants that were probably Nightmare's cargo shorts to be honest. They reached around his shins but were tight like pants. He put black socks on and a pair of red wool gloves that matched his red shoes and wool green scarf. It matched his green scarf because it had blotches of red blood all around it.

With his outfit situated he made his way to leave but not without grabbing a pack of toothpicks shoving them in his pocket or wrapping his scarf around his mouth and nose.

Izuku found the main door and opened it to be blasted by the rays of sunlight against his sensitive eyes and weak, pale skin. He needed to hurry up and find Esomi's sensei's house.

Where was it again? Izuku took out the card and began walking while reading it. So it was only about 3 or 4 blocks away. That's amazing!

Izuku was so caught up in reading that he bumped into someone. He looked up and was met with shaggy blue hair and red eyes. But not the glowing bloody red like Izuku's eyes when he changed them but a deep crimson red.

Izuku ducked his head and took off in the direction of the sensei's house. While he was running he felt the man's eyes follow him as if questioning him.

Once Izuku was going to round the corner he looked back to see the man walk into the building he came out of. He was walking into Nightmares abandoned building. It would only be a matter of minutes until he found Nightmare's dead body. He had to go!

Izuku should have felt bad for killing Nightmare but the man was despicable and Izuku completes the first step of avenging his mother.

So he would deal with the consequences later because right now he had to get stronger to complete step two.

Make either One for All or his father pay. Whoever came first.

* * *

**With All for One (AFO)**

"I went there only to find him dead Sensei! Man, this birthday is not turning out to be awesome!"

"Dead?"

"Yes looked like it happened today and by strangulation."

"Did you notice anything suspicious?"

"Well actually… I ran into this green-eyed kid on my way there! He looked like he had just cane from Nightmare's direction."

"Green-eyed you say?"

"Yeah!"

A small smile erupted on AFO's face.

"Next time you see him… recruit him."

"What?! Why Sensei?! Do you know the kid or something?!"

"Relax, Shigaraki Tomura, he will be a valuable addition towards our goals… Towards the League of Villains."

AFO released a deep laugh.

**…**

**End of the Nightmare arc!**

**Izuku is on his way to go train and become stronger! **

**Just what does AFO really want? **

**Will everything go according to plan for Izuku?**

**Any questions or comments ? Write them in the reviews! :)**

**Next chapter coming soon!**


	7. Sensei?

**Sup!**

**Thank you for all the new reviews, favorites and follows! I really appreciate it!**

**Izuku's got to get stronger if he wants to take down AFO!**

**Will the man Esomi mentioned take on Izuku as a student?!**

**Enjoy!**

**…**

Izuku approached the portly man that he had waited for. He had waited an entire week for him. He had spent day after day sitting in this dim section of the alleyway waiting for this supposed Sensei.

After a week of waiting, it had left him slightly angered and once again filthy. The clothes that he took from Nightmare had gotten dirt and water on them. He really looked homeless, but then again he really was homeless.

It was a little unnerving as to how he didn't feel hungry in the slightest.

Maybe it was because of the fact that he went a year without food but either way he feels nothing.

Hunger felt so distant. Like if he focused hard enough he would remember what it felt like to be hungry. He didn't feel hungry, even when he stuffed his face with food as soon as he escaped from Nightmares clutches, even then the food hadn't done anything for him.

Of course, it tasted good but regarding his appetite and hunger levels, they did nothing. At first, he was so preoccupied with getting out of there that he didn't even notice but now that he had time to somewhat relax. He realized that the feeling of needing food was practically gone.

He knew his body needed food to survive but he didn't feel the urge to eat, so he didn't. He knew that it would come back and bite him in the ass later but for now, he'd rather make sure he was there when the sensei arrived.

As Izuku got closer to the man, Izuku took in his appearance.

The man wore a long black jacket with the hood extended over the brow of his face. His pitch-black chevron mustache complimented his pale skin. His burgundy red eyes inspected Izuku and sent shivers down his back.

Even though the man was plump he exuded this aura of "don't mess with me if you want to live". Izuku didn't want to test this man's patience and he wanted to leave but Esomi said that this man had skills and could teach even though he didn't really look like he had skills. Considering his weight.

Izuku shouldn't judge him just yet because for all Izuku knew this guy could have a quirk that made him super strong.

"Hello. Are you…" Izuku paused to recall the name he was told. After not remembering for a couple of seconds he pulled out the card from his back pocket to take a peek and refresh his memory. "Satshi Sensei?"

The man's facial features drastically changed. Furrowed eyebrows. Narrowed eyes. Flared nostrils. Gritted teeth. Izuku felt fear for the first time in a long time.

As the man took an intimidating step towards him and slowly placed his face in front of him, Izuku gulped.

"How do you know my name?!"

The man that can be confirmed as Satshi responded in nothing more than a breathy whisper. Izuku regarded him as Satshi because he didn't know if he was going to leave here alive, forget about being the man's student.

Izuku took a long regulating breath to make sure he didn't respond too quickly or sound scared. The man was most definitely stronger than him and showing weakness would do Izuku no good.

"Esomi told me to find you."

The man's feature softened by a great degree. He was upset a few seconds ago and now he had a huge smile plastered on his face. Esomi was obviously on this guy's good side.

It perplexed Izuku how someone could go from angered to happy so quickly. Was it the man's quirk? Had the man not been actually mad this whole time? Perhaps the man was just bipolar?

"Esomi?! Oh, how I miss the boy! Tell me, how is he?"

Izuku was stuck. He could tell the man who looked to care a great deal about Esomi that Esomi was dead or lie and tell the man who looked to care a great deal about Esomi that Esomi was alive and well. Izuku didn't want to inadvertently cause the man to take his anger over the death on him but he also didn't want to lie to the man. Esomi didn't deserve that, so he decided to be straightforward with Satshi and face the consequences later.

"Esomi… He's dead."

It took Satshi a couple of seconds for the words to dawn on him. His face twisted to a grimace and then angry as he focused his distraught state on Izuku.

"It was probably that All for One wasn't it?!"

Izuku quickly surmised that Satshi knew about Esomi and Sasomi's situation. He still needed to find Sasomi but sadly that might take a while. Until he figured out a plan and got enough training to handle himself.

"No, not him. It was a man known as Nightmare. I killed him."

Izuku was not going to beat around the bush. He was saddened as to how low he had to go to escape but he felt no remorse for his actions. Nightmare deserved it.

Satshi's eyes widened. Izuku could tell what the man was thinking of just by looking at him. It was like Satshi's thoughts were portrayed on his face.

He didn't believe this kid could commit such an act. The kid was frail and very skinny. Like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His hair was long and his clothes clearly didn't fit him. How could this boy do that to the man that killed Esomi when he had failed.

Satshi looked Izuku up and down a couple of times before pointing a finger at the door.

"I want a full explanation."

Izuku followed the man through the metal door no questions asked.

When Izuku entered he was caught off guard at what the inside was like. Instead of something resembling the run down, metal and shady outside, the interior was in the simplest of terms, cozy. It was kind of like a regular house.

There was the main room filled with three brown armchairs, a mahogany circular coffee table, the big black leather couch and the large flat-screen television elevated on the wall. The fact that there were no windows didn't ruin the warm aspect of the building.

The two doors on the far wall could either be bedrooms or closets but with how the room is proportioned Izuku would guess they are bedrooms. There was a set of black stairs in the right corner leading upwards to a second floor. With the bedrooms probably being downstairs he really had no clue what would be on the floor above them.

Izuku overall felt like it was a nice, secluded and peaceful home, the basic white the walls were painted even matched the room slightly.

Satshi directed Izuku to sit on the couch while he would occupy one of his armchairs. Izuku cautiously sat down and shifted until he was in a comfortable position.

The couch felt like heaven on his buttocks. He had been sitting and sleeping on the concrete floor for the past week so a soft leather couch was just what he needed. In reality, food was actually what he probably needed but he couldn't be bothered for that right now.

Satshi got up and walked through a doorway that Izuku hadn't even noticed. It wasn't hidden or anything, he just must have missed it. Maybe he was tired?

Satshi came back into the room a few minutes later with two cups of tea in his hands.

"Tea?" Satshi asked.

"Yeah."

There was an awkward moment of silence were Satshi stared at Izuku while Izuku quietly sipped his tea.

Eventually, Satshi spoke up.

"I would like that explanation now."

Izuku's eyebrows raised in surprise. Izuku forgot why he was here for a bit. He was taking in the relaxed nature of the place and got lost in his surroundings, forgetting about the more pressing matters.

"Oh, sorry! Ahem, I'll start with when he first arrived there."

Izuku went on to explain how he met Esomi and what their relationship was like. Izuku showed his side of the story and how he felt. He also told him his goals and what he wants to accomplish. At the end, Satshi preceded to take a moment to think then speak.

"I have not come to a decision of what is the best course of action moving forward. First I would like your name."

Izuku paused for a second. The last time he told someone he was Deku they got mad when they found out the truth. What Esomi was upset for Izuku didn't really know. He suspected Esomi thought that Izukdidn'tnt trust him enough and that upset him but Izuku didn't like using his last name and first names when first meeting someone was ill-mannered.

"Deku."

"Your real name kid."

How did this man know that Deku wasn't his real name? Izuku could think of a few scenarios where Satshi already knew his name but they all ended in a bad way. If any of the scenarios were truly going to happen now, he better not get on Satshi's bad side.

"Izuku."

"Izukuuu…"

Satshi extended Izuku's name at the end as a signifier that he was looking for a last name.

"I don't use my last name."

"If you want me to not assume all that you've said was a lie you better give me your last name _Izuku_."

Izuku thought that the man looked old enough to have heard about his father and he also didn't seem arrogant or mean but the fact that he didn't like his last name had almost nothing to do with his father. It has to do with him and how useless he is and how his mother deserves a better son to pass that name down to.

"Midoriya. I _do not _use it. It is reserved for my mother."

"Midoriya? As in Ki-Scorcher Midoriya?"

That mistake made Izuku a little suspicious but he shook it off as Satshi thinking of someone else and then remembering who it really was.

"Yes."

Satshi broke out into an all-out grin. It made no sense to Izuku. Why was he smiling like he won the lottery? Izuku had a feeling this wouldn't end well.

After taking a few seconds to calm his laughter down Satshi began to speak.

"Phew! Sorry about that. It's just… who would have thought that his son would show up at _my _doorstep!"

"I think I'll be leaving from that doorstep right now."

Izuku got up in an action to leave because this man was laughing and enjoying the fact that his dad was an evil man. He would not put up with this guy degrading his mother and him like that.

"Wait! Wait! I'm sorry! Hey, listen! I've got a proposition for you kid."

Izuku halted. A proposition? Izuku made his way back to the couch to listen to what the man had to say. All Izuku knew was that it had better be worth having to tolerate him for a few more minutes.

Satshi donned a serious face. Izuku got the sense that what they were going to talk about would be very worth it.

"You said something about me training you right?"

Izuku gave an affirmative nod.

"Good, good. I'll do it."

Izuku was beginning to let a smile creep on his face. Satshi, no Sensei was agreeing! He would get stronger and save Sasomi while taking down All for One. This was the start! Izuku thought.

"But I don't know if you'll survive it."

Izuku didn't falter, this was way too good to pass up on. A once in a lifetime chance! He would be entirely dedicated to training and getting stronger.

"Doesn't matter."

Satshi's grin widened and then he closed his eyes. Sensei's grin slowly morphed into a smirk and his eyes shined with a mischievous gleam.

"Alright. If you finish my training by this time next year I'll tell you where your father lives." Satshi narrowed his eyes towards Izuku. "And no don't ask me where or I'm never telling you."

Izuku had so many questions, like how did he know his father? Were they acquaintances? How else would he know where his dad was? Maybe he was hunting him down as an enforcer of justice and the law? Where was his father? It had to be somewhere secluded. He has been hidden for so many years there's no way it would be right under everyone's noses in plain sight. If Satshi knew were his father, a villain, was why hasn't he turned him in? Did his father have some sort of leverage over Satshi? Like information Sensei didn't want out or something?

Izuku wanted to continue his pondering but Satshi has stood up and motioned for him to follow.

He started listing off where everything was.

Satshi walked over to the kitchen doorway and went inside. It was a nice kitchen with a relatively new stove and a stainless steel refrigerator. The cabinets were painted light pink. Why? Izuku had no clue. Maybe Satshi lived with another person? Because he didn't look like the type of person to paint anything pink, but you never know.

He showed Izuku all the food, utensils and everything of worth that was located in the kitchen. The next stop was the bathroom.

The bathroom was to the right of the kitchen. They opened the door to be met with a sweet lavender smell wafting through the air. It was calming and soothing. Just the type of atmosphere to take a poo in.

Speaking of poo. When was the last time Izuku went, like a year ago? He didn't go to the bathroom a single time during his… stay with Nightmare. That probably happened because he hadn't had any solid substance in his body to release. All he was somehow fed with was Nightmares quirk.

There was a double sink, again did he live with someone else? The shower was large, larger than his old one in his old apartment and larger than Nightmares. So large it kind of looked more like a hot tub than a shower.

Sensei exited the bathroom urging Izuku to follow. The come up to the set of doors that Izuku earlier acknowledged as either closets or bedrooms.

"This is my room, please do not go in it."

Satshi turned the metal doorknob that connected to his brown door. Once open Izuku got a tiny peek into the room to see a red bed and a bedside table with a laptop stationed on the top. Izuku would have seen more but Satshi quickly closed the door obstructing Izuku's view and led him to the next room. Izuku made an inference that Satshi was a secretive person.

Satshi didn't bother to open the door or say who's it was. All he did was cross his arms and say.

"Don't go in here ever."

The way Satshi's voice took a low tone and had a threatening undertone made Izuku promise in his head not to. It didn't matter who was in there, he would not go in there. Ever.

Izuku vigorously nodded his head towards the older man.

Satshi turned towards the stairs and walked towards them. Izuku was wondering what was up there.

Satshi went up the stairs two steps at a time. Even though he didn't look in shape the stairs gave him no problems at all. Not even a sign of being winded. That's a little odd, maybe it has to do with his quirk?

"This is my favorite area of the house!"

Just what was up there?

Once they reached the top Satshi stopped and stuck out his hand.

"Prepare yourself."

That made Izuku very vigilant of what was to come up when he got up there. What could be up there that would cause him to say such a thing? Izuku prepared himself by taking a deep breath.

They took the final step and entered the large open space area.

Izuku let out a small puff of air from his nose and sweatdropped. After what Satshi said and actually witnessing what was up there, Izuku was left feeling very anticlimactic.

It wasn't an impressive room at all. Izuku could guess it was a homemade gym but it was worn out. The equipment was worn out and definitely used. It had to be used by Satshi's students because he didn't look like he used the equipment. Did he have that many students?

Satshi walked over to the far end of the room and smacked a big red button on the wall. Immediately the wall started to turn. Izuku was shocked.

Satshi has one of those secret walls that only appear in high tech spy and/or hero movies! Well, clearly they were used in places other than movies! Sensei had one. What was behind it?

Once the wall had fully turned Izuku was met with a variety of weapons. Izuku has never seen so many weapons in one area. Some were new and some were old.

The weapons were from all different cultures from all over the world.

Guns, bow and arrows, knives, brass knuckles, tiger claws, rapiers, katanas, kukris, battle axes, war hammers, bo staffs, maces, lances, pikes, scythes, slingshots, whips and lassoes, shields and lots more. Not one spot of the wall was not covered by a weapon of some kind.

Izuku could see why Satshi was so fascinated and proud of his gym. It was astonishing that he had so many weapons. Izuku had never been the physical or weapon enthusiast type of guy but the quality and amount of weaponry Satshi had was worthy of applaud. Was it even legal to have this many weapons?

A couple of weapons stuck out to Izuku, like the bo staff because it was so large and the shields because each one had such a beautiful colorway.

"This is my favorite thing ever. This collection is amazing isn't it?"

Izuku was still in shock from gandering at it so all he could do was dumbly nod his head with his jaw slightly slack.

"Well don't get used to it!"

"Wha?! I don't get to use anything?!"

Izuku was pulled out of his wonderment by Satshi's statement.

"Of course not."

That was not fair! You couldn't just show Izuku something that amazing and say he couldn't use anything in there right after.

"I can't learn how to use anything?!"

Satshi gave a heavy sigh.

"Fine! If you finish what I have planned for you before the year is up I'll teach you how to use one or two weapons."

This not only made Izuku ecstatic it also filled him with even more determination. Not only would he get to find his father if he finished early but if he finished early he could learn how to use a few weapons! That was awesome!

Once Izuku reined in his excitement he noticed a wide door to the left. What else could Satshi be hiding?!

"What's in there?"

Satshi followed Izuku's line of sight until both of their gazes were on the door.

"That is my workshop, where I make things. But that's enough of upstairs, let's retreat to downstairs and get you some food."

Izuku wanted to protest and find out what was actually in the room but figured he could find out at a later date.

Satshi told Izuku to wait on the couch while he prepared some food. Izuku was tempted to grab the television remote and turn on the news channel but didn't. It was ill-mannered to take someone's possession and use it without asking like that. So Izuku patiently waited.

But just because Izuku was patiently waiting didn't mean that during that time he didn't imagine it was on the news. He hoped that the news would answer a lot of questions he had.

Had they found out about Nightmares death yet? Were heroes on to him? We're there new heroes? New villains? Had any news about his father gone around? Had All for One used his power to commit evil deeds yet? Was there any type of search for Izuku still? Was there even a search to begin with?

Izuku's pondering lasted him until Satshi came back into the room with 2 bowls of soup and another cup of tea for Izuku. Izuku had no doubt that he could finish the food but once again he hadn't felt anything like hunger flood through his body even at the sight of the definitely good food.

"Eat up and then we'll continue talking."

Izuki had a lot of questions to ask so he finished his food fairly quickly. Even though he no longer felt the hunger he could easily eat like he was hungry, starving even. Maybe he really was starving and he didn't even know it?

Izuku wiped his face with a napkin and looked Satshi in the eyes. Izuku wanted to waste no time in getting straight to the point and getting answers.

"So you'll sleep upstairs and I'll give you the training regimen tomorrow so enjoy your last day of rest. Well, tomorrow is more of an information day but after that, hehe."

He was really laying it on thick on how bad the training would be. At least he was giving Izuku a home. Izuku almost forgot he was homeless. Upstairs wouldn't be a bad space to sleep in, except for the fact that there was no bed.

"What about a bed?"

"Figure something out. Sleeping the floor will make you stronger in your sleep."

Izuku sweatdropped. The words didn't really make sense but the way that Satshi had said them in full seriousness made it sound like it was entirely factual. He would probably end up sleeping on the floor for the duration of the year.

"Ok."

"Now Deku? I'm going to go on a limb and assume it derives from dekiru."

Izuki wasn't really surprised that the man had made the connection between the two it's just that not many people do so Izuku had to commend Satshi for his smarts.

"Yes."

"And you believe yourself to be useless?"

"Yes."

Satshi released a weary sigh.

"I don't fully comprehend as to why you believe that, seeing as to how there was practically nothing you could've done in any of those situations but what would it take to make you escape that mindset."

What would it take for Izuku to stop being useless?

"Getting strong enough to take care of myself and strong enough to protect those I need to protect."

That was the basics of how Izuku felt on the matter. Satshi was a smart guy he could understand everything Izuku was trying to convey in that sentence.

"I like the sound of that! So be ready for some hard training starting tomorrow! Goodnight my pupil!"

"Goodnight Sensei."

Izuku walked up the stairs to sleep on the brick floor that would now be his bedroom and Satshi went into his nice door to sleep in his nice and soft bed.

Getting stronger was definitely not going to be easy.

* * *

Later that night Satshi was collecting his thoughts on what had transpired earlier on in the day. A lot was on his mind but as the clutches of sleep tugged at his mind he couldn't help but release a low chuckle and speak so low that only the wind could hear him.

"This is going to be interesting... _very_, interesting... kukuku... _My Lord_."

**...**

**Izuku met his new master and has a lot of things to work towards in his year-long training. **

**Meeting his father and training to use weapons. **

**Izuku is serious about getting stronger! **

**How will his training progress?**

**Not gonna lie I don't really like this chapter but whatever, and it took me a while to put it out. Sorry! I promise to be more consistent. Just was looking back at all the chapters and fixed a bunch a grammar mistakes even though this one has grammar mistakes in it too, I just know.**

**I think my writing could be better so I was working on it and stuff. I even have the next chapter done already (Its not the training montage yet but) I really like it I don't know why but I get a cool vibe from it. And I tried to add a little humor at the end but I'm not funny.**

** I'm weird.**

**Anyway, what was that at the end that Sensei was saying, is he secretly a villain or something?! Thinking about it Izuku was awfully quick to accept this man's help. Nothing suspicious or worrisome about that.**

**I'll be back soon.**

**Please leave a review and have a great day!**


	8. Aware

**I'm not going to do an Authors Note at the beginning of each chapter because it isn't necessary every time, looking back I probably just used it to up the word count. tehe**

**Oh I'll do reviews in the author notes. I'm genius. **

**If I get any. hahaha**

**Enjoy!**

**…**

Naomasa Tsukauchi never really caught a break. Since he was a leading detective at the police department he was always loaded with never-ending case after never-ending case, be it a petty crime or a gruesome murder. Usually, he was able to settle the cases fairly quickly with the help of a pro hero that produced quality work and was actually focused on their job. Tsukauchi hated to say it but in his experience, most pro heroes entered the deadly crime-fighting world for fame and money. Subsequently, those same pro heroes don't produce results up to Tsukauchi's standards.

The detective needed someone who could do a swift and clean job, not one who would cause a scene and end up not only damaging property but potentially injuring the civilians that got caught in between it all. The pro hero needed to quietly (if not quietly then with a fight that proceeded to have a low amount of property damage and no casualties) catch the culprit, turn them into the police station and let Tsukauchi interrogate them and lock them up in prison.

Finding out the truth behind things was his specialty. His quirk, _Human Lie Detector, _granted him the ability to be able to tell whether or not someone was telling the truth or lying by activating his quirk and looking at them. Hence the name _Human Lie Detector._

Also, his quirk wasn't a passive one, he had to consciously activate it when looking for a lie. If Tsukauchi was being entirely honest his quirk doesn't work 100% of the time. Sometimes the quirk just doesn't catch the lie and regretfully some of the information gathered is flawed but luckily it is very rare that that would happen. He suspected that the inaccuracy could possibly be because of overuse or something else.

His quirk was extremely useful in his line of work, not often are their officers of the law that can uphold justice in such a way. Tsukauchi saw his quirk as a blessing for he always wanted to be a hero when he was younger but sadly he wasn't born with a combat-oriented quirk and took him a while to accept that even though he couldn't be a pro hero he can still be a hero by joining the police force stopping crime and keeping the peace that way.

Just like being a pro hero, his Tsukauchi's job wasn't easy by any means and the number of cases the Chief would assign him definitely tired him out but he was always ready for action. He always brought his tan overcoat, similarly colored hat, golden and blue police badge, and his black pistol with him to all the places he went, if he wasn't wearing his work outfit and equipped with his gear, it was nearby. It was his signature get up, it helped remind him that there was evil afoot and he was responsible for aiding in its downfall.

However, today was not one of his long or painstaking workdays. It was his birthday and he planned on having an easy and short day at work. His foolproof plan was to thank all of his nice coworkers at the precinct that wished him a happy birthday and munch on the obligatory box of birthday donuts given to him as a gift from the police force. Take his time with the pile of bleached white papers on his desk, make sure he didn't push himself on what papers to finish because today was his day. After that, at around lunchtime, he would go see his favorite baseball team play (they would hopefully win) with his little sister and then call it a wonderful night and plenty of sleep so that the next day he would be refreshed and ready to punish criminals as one with the police force. A great way to spend his once a year birthday in his opinion.

All that would be better than how his last birthday went. On his birthday last year, his entire birthday plan was ground to a screeching halt when minutes before his workday would end they got a call about a crime. He remembered the crime like it happened yesterday.

Well, how could he not? He has been working (it was on a back burner, he didn't spend too much time thinking about it but it was always there on his desk) on the case for the past year with no luck.

He was supposed to be off today but instead today he would finally get some more evidence for that case but it would leave him with new questions.

* * *

**One Year Ago**

Tsukauchi was clearing up the scattered and cluttered white papers all around his desk. He placed some of the papers in manila folders and others in neat stacks in the middle of the brown desk as to leave it somewhat presentable before he left for the day. Today was his birthday and he was going to make the best of it. He would leave early today and then catch—

Tsukauchi's birthday thoughts were suddenly halted when his office phone shrilly rang through the hot air. Fixing his beige hat and slowly leaning over to answer the black phone he cautiously lifted it to his ear.

He was not eager to take this phone call because he had no doubt that it would have to do with work and that was not his plan for the rest of the day. But not a soul in their right mind would blatantly ignore a call from the Chief unless they wanted to be immediately fired or scolded. Getting scolded from the Chief was just as bad as getting fired because he did a lot of loud barking that left you with a piercing headache for the rest of the day and sometimes even into the next morning.

Reluctantly he gave the first words of the conversation that would, without doubt, cause him to miss out on all the great things he had in store for his birthday.

"Detective Tsukauchi here."

"Detective? Oh good, um, we know that it is your birthday and you are supposed to be leaving early today but the Chief is giving you another case to look at. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience."

He tried to hold back a sigh of frustration but it was no use, it urged through his throat on its own volition. He desperately tried to hold the sigh back because he didn't want to be rude to his coworker but he was frustrated. He was so frustrated and her bubbly but apologetic voice was making his irritation rise. Why was she so happy his day was ruined? Did she enjoy utterly ruining people's days? Like was this an aspect of her job that she was looking forward to each and every day?

Tsukauchi honestly couldn't fathom someone feeling that way unless they were a villain. Maybe he should question this lady just to make sure?

Either way, he was looking forward to spending his birthday with his younger sister, but taking it out on his coworker was wrong even if he really wanted to say a couple of certain words at the moment. How could he not be upset? He was looking forward to today and the Chief just kept handing him cases like he had an endless stream of them. Not to mention that he knew it was Tsukauchi's birthday today, he even gave him the obligatory birthday donuts and wished him a happy birthday.

The sheer amount of cases were always piling up to the high heavens even though the crime rate was extremely low in Japan, even on a global scale. To the beige wearing detective, it felt like crime and villains flocked to whatever area he was stationed at the moment. He traveled around quite a bit and the dastardly villains seemed to be traveling right along with him.

Even with All Might (the number one hero in Japan and a very high ranking if not also the number one hero in America) in Japan to stop them, it didn't deter criminals at all, not only that but All Might's hero hours were shortening. Tsukauchi's best friend, All Might was sick and slowly but surely losing his power, so the crime rate was going to rise once All Might's worsening health started to show in his hero work. But hopefully, that wouldn't be for a couple of years.

The story behind Tsukauchi and All Might's friendship and its origin always got them to laugh whenever they had the time to reminisce. The basic summary is that Tsukauchi went by the humongous Might Tower in Roppongi with hopes of meeting with All Might to alert him of the up and coming drug that was being passed around called Trigger. The drug, trigger boosted the power of the user's quirk but also struck the user with extreme rage and aggressiveness. Needless to say, it was a problem (still is a problem because at the moment they still don't know where it's coming from) and All Might needed to be aware. Instead of meeting All Might he met with Toshinori Yagi who after many villain attacks and spontaneous bathroom breaks ended up being All Might.

Tsukauchi had recently been placed in Musutafu, Tokyo along with his partner, Tanema. Tanema was older than Tsukauchi but was just as good at his work. His age was easily identifiable by his short dark hair and his pushed back hairline. He didn't care much for appearances as he always wore a dark-colored suit, a black waistcoat, and a plain dark tie. He went on smoke breaks often but Tsukauchi only advised him to end the habit instead of further pushing to him to put a stop to it because the smoking did not get in the way of Tanema's work or his abilities. Tanema was the more relaxed one of the two, but in honesty, they made a good pair which is probably why they moved the two to the hub of criminal and villain activity.

Musutafu was known for its villain attacks, it was most definitely a nice city with lots of law-abiding citizens and beautiful houses but criminals were also attracted to there as well. The peculiar attraction that the city gained from villains and the like was definitely one of the reasons why his workload was always so extensive.

"Alright, give me the rundown of the situation. In twenty words or less, please."

Tsukauchi wanted this to be over quickly so he could finish celebrating his birthday. He wanted to go to the scene of the crime, figure out some easy evidence and have that be the end of his workday. He focused his ears on the high pitched voice of the woman on the other end of the phone.

"Well, nearby there was a fire at an apartment but the landlord looked back at the cameras and noticed that it was planned. The Chief would like you to take a look at it."

Tsukauchi would have mentioned that she had spoken more than twenty words but he was slightly intrigued, that was probably why he never turned down any cases. His fatal flaw was how he was easily interested in the simplest of cases. That and he wasn't so brave as to tell the Chief "no".

Having no reason to continue the conversation on the phone anymore he set the phone back in its rightful place and collected his stuff. Before exiting she straightened his outfit up and walked out to look for Tanema.

On his way, he thought about what he was about to be introduced to. He needed to know the five "W"s. Who? What? Where? Why? And How? The detective knew that "How" did not start with "W" but it did contain a "W" in its spelling and it was a lot more convenient than saying "The four "W's" and one "H"."

Who? Civilians in an apartment building, the number of casualties still undetermined and the number of affected still undetermined. The supposed villain was the attacker.

What? A fire. The fire caused enough damage and/or was suspicious enough to have the Chief call him and have him assigned to the case while also sending him to the scene to scope out the area.

Where? At a nearby apartment. An apartment close enough that he would probably be able to see the smoke rising in the sky from the burnt apartment.

Why? The landlord has looked at the surveillance footage and mentioned a suspicious figure causing it. Why the arsonist villain did such a thing was still undetermined. One of the aspects of Tsukauchi's jobs was to find the motive.

How? Someone cause it but how they caused it was still undetermined. It could be by quirk or any number of other things Lots of things can start fires.

Tsukauchi left the police station and was met by the brisk and chilly air along with the shining moon and his partner off to the side smoking another one of his cancer sticks. He quickly informed Tanema of the situation and then proceeded to enter the usual black, blue, and white four-wheeled automobile. Tsukauchi peered up at the sky and spotted streaks of rising smoke in an area close by. Using the smoke as the means of navigation they arrived at the scene relatively fast.

When they reached the apartment complex they were surprised that it was still in fairly normal condition. Tsukauchi collected from small interviews with the citizens standing outside that only one apartment had been burnt down and the others unharmed. Supposedly a pro hero in all black came by and quickly put out the fire before it spread but not before that singular apartment was charred and burnt to a crisp. Also that the residents of that apartment hadn't come out yet. It was a family of two, Inko Midoriya and Izuku Midoriya. The father was in America working but not many of the neighbors believed that to be true. Regardless the father was MIA.

The mother and son shared green hair and green eyes. Both of them were short and the son was quirkless. The neighbor spoke about the fact that the son was quirkless so much they made it seem like it was the most important detail about the family that the detective could get.

_'People and their_ _prejudices,' _Tsukauchi seriously wanted to exaggeratedly roll his eyes in their faces and tell them to stuff it with their nugatory thoughts.

After getting some basic info from the numerous citizens that mingled about outside, Tsukauchi and his partner entered the complex and made their way up to the apartment.

Just before entering the detective noticed even though the door was melted and scorched he could clearly detect the forced entry from the roughed up hinges on the side of the doorway.

They cautiously slipped through what was left of the door and began their search for anything out of the ordinary, so anything that wasn't already burnt to crisps. The entire room was painted black with ash, the walls drooped, wood left in heaps, and items burnt to dust. There was nothing in good condition to be found in the previously animated apartment.

Workers were stationed all around the inside doing their designated jobs, some releasing a quick bright light of the camera flash as they took pictures of the area to preserve evidence, some marking things off in the customary yellow tape to block off intruders from invading the area of importance.

Tsukauchi's eyes swept across the entire place, from wall to wall to find anything that could point towards the criminal. He asked the other workers whether anything could point them in the right direction but they said it wasn't looking too good for the police at the moment.

"I found something," Tanema called out, getting surprised faces from most.

Tsukauchi carefully stepped around and over all the bits and pieces of ash. He was careful not to breathe in the ash or dust lest he would be doing the same thing to his lungs as Tanema when he smoked those unhealthy cigarettes. After a couple of well-placed steps, Tsukauchi approached Tanema to see what it was that he had found.

"Definitely the mother," Tanema commented with a grimace.

Tsukauchi's eyebrows furrowed and breath hitched in his throat once his sight fell upon what it was that Tanema had found. As a detective, he had learned how to tell differences in bones. Differences like the size of the bones, it was clearly a full-grown female if the rounded pelvis signified anything. The ability to come to his own conclusions was useful, especially because Tsukauchi was more of an independent person.

Pitch black bones covered in dusty soot and flaky ash. Slightly bubbled from the extreme heat, hints of red from long since charred muscle. A burnt skeleton.

The mother.

She had to have been burnt alive.

This was clearly the work of a villain, regardless of whether the criminal was known as one previously, they were now labeled a villain. Only the most detestable could commit such acts. Well, legally you aren't labeled a villain unless you do more than one crime but the beige wearing policeman didn't care, the man was still a vile person.

There wasn't much else the two detectives could do at the moment so they met up with the landlord that claimed to be in possession of more evidence. A video recording of who the murderer was.

The chunky landlord and the detective didn't spend time getting to know each other and just cut to the chase. They immediately watched the video and pointed out things they needed to know.

Who? A bald man, probably in his thirties dressed in a white lab coat and barefoot. Round glasses over his pale skin.

How? The man carried a bright red jerry can and a large knife that could only be for combat purposes. The jerry can was used to start the fire and the knife could have been used to cause injuries to the flesh of the victims. Also an obvious forced entry.

They took the video with them as evidence and went on their way. The assault was simple enough, they would be on the lookout for a white, glasses-wearing, bald man and punish that man in the name of justice.

Except... they didn't know what happened to the kid, Izuku Midoriya. The child's remains weren't found in the burnt apartment and considering that everything in the apartment was now practically ash there wasn't going to be any leads towards where the boy was.

So all the two detectives could do was wait until someone matching the killer's appearance showed up and get more info that way. It may take a while but Tsukauchi was going to find that boy.

* * *

**Present**

Tsukauchi and Tanema exited the ordinary cop car and entered towards the decrepit building ahead of them. Eventually, they came across a room that was eerily similar to a prison cell. There were chains, limited amounts of sunlight and even blood and a dead body.

Tsukauchi had to do a double-take.

Blood and a dead body?!

This was not what the detective was expecting when he was called in to take on a case even though he was supposed to have the rest of his day off for his birthday. This was looking like a repeat of last year.

Not too long ago he was called in by the Chief to look into this. The detective was honestly going to try to convince the Chief of Police to change his mind and let him get his day off. He wasn't entirely sure how but rumor had it that the Chief would do just about anything for one of those new S Shoes; shoes made completely out of styrofoam.

It was kind of comical that the Chief, who is a dog-man, would be captivated by styrofoam shoes enough that he would except bribery for the item. Sadly it was just a rumor with not much supported the theory other than the man had the tendency to do dog-like action and a man that wanted to keep his job like Tsukauchi didn't dare attempt at persuading their Chief in such a way. Their Chief was truly all bark and more bite.

_'Heh' _

The detective reprimanded himself for finding the ridiculous pun humorous especially when he needed to be focused on the crime scene in front of him. It really wouldn't do if he missed out on something crucial and the Chief got on his ass and started hounding him for his mistake.

_'Heh. Hounding... Shit.'_

Tsukauchi quickly shook his head to get the irritating puns out of his head especially when they weren't even _punny_.

_'Arggh'_

Tanema looked over towards his partner and began to talk before he noticed the far off look in Tsukauchi's eyes and the way his eyebrows furrowed betraying annoyance.

"You doing okay over there Tsukauchi? You look constipated."

Tsukauchi was slightly startled by Tanema's question but swiftly caught himself before deepening his grimace across his face because of his colleagues rather nasty choice of words.

"Yes, just thinking is all," Tsukauchi replied before seriously putting his head in the game and ignoring all irrelevant thoughts.

He had been notified that this particular crime is tied to the missing person's case of Izuku Midoriya in some way. That is the prominent reason as to why he didn't attempt at getting out of it because this certain case had been plaguing the back of his mind for quite some time now.

"I can see that. Anyway, from what I can see this dead man is the same man that committed that arson about a year ago. The same one that kidnapped that kid and from what the forensics team has told me most of the blood on these walls and floors belongs to that kid, Izuku Midoriya. So clearly he was tortured and the death of this man could most likely be accounted to self-defense but the kid's nowhere in sight. Highly probably that he got scared and ran."

Tanema treated his partner Tsukauchi to his deductions and both of the detectives agreed that all of it was solid and held good reasoning behind it but out of all of their assessments one question stayed unanswered.

**"Where is Izuku Midoriya?"**

**...**

**Next is his training. Promise! I just wanted to make people aware that people are looking for him so he and know what he looks like so he can potentially get caught... or something. **

**After the training montage there is gonna be a good amount of OC's and honestly, I don't think I'm that good at making OC's but its an arc that's gonna happen before any League of Villain things and I kinda want to get straight to that but this has some essential things in this arc for story development and others later so :) or I shorten it all? **_(ツ)/

**MIKE202303: Nice**

**megasharpy: I'm happy to hear that and I'll try!**

**Guest: lgdifz? Huh? and thank you!**

**Just a bored guy trying to make quality stuff so reviews and stuff are greatly appreciated!**


	9. Training Arc I Guess

**MIKE202303: No! It loves you! *double finger guns* No, but seriously your words are always uplifting!**

**Butter(Guest): I might have missed it (most likely forgot to write it) but Tomura Shigaraki was supposed to call after he had seen the dead body. The—then not fully formed— League really had no need for Nightmare or his body anymore, seeing as he tried to quit. And thank you for the encouragement!**

**Ozymandias: Spear?**

**This chapter is just for you Guest! (They made me remember about it)**

**I'm back so let's shed some tears for this lackluster performance.**

**...**

As Izuku sat on the black couch across from his Sensei, who sat across from him in a comfy armchair, he had to tilt his neck at an odd angle as to not hurt it because of how uncomfortable his sleep was. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because of the hard floor that acted as his bed. Let it be known that the floor did not equal comfort.

"Okay kid, we are going to go over some basics. You know about the hero rankings right?" Before training Satshi really wanted to lay out some knowledge for Izuku.

"Yeah. Who doesn't know about the hero rankings?" That question was redundant because honestly, everybody knows that everybody knows what the hero rankings are and which heroes are in it.

The hero rankings were a national thing were heroes are ranked based on their skill, popularity, and personality. The rankings go into the hundreds, even the thousands but the only heroes noticeable enough for civilians to end up buying an action figure of or even having kids act like them are the top ten heroes. Everyone aspired to be one of the top ten heroes, children, teenagers, and adults alike.

From what Izuku remembered the last time he has seen the top ten hero rankings the heroes were as follows. No.1 All Might (like that would ever change), No.2 Endeavor, No.3 Hawks, No.4 Best Jeanist, No.5 Edgeshot, No.6 Crust, No.7 Wash, No.8 Yoroi Musha, No.9 Ryukyu, and No.10 Gang Orca.

"That's good then I won't have to explain what it is then, but you've been gone for a while so it's changed up a little bit. Of course, All Might is still number 1, Then Endeavor, Hawks, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, someone that shot up the polls named Mirko, Crust, some other kid named Kamui Woods, Ryukyu, then Gang Orca as number ten. A bit has changed since you left but not too much. If I was to place my opinion I'd say besides the top two maybe three everyone else is based on timing and luck really, but that's just me."

Izuku's mind was going crazy, not that he outwardly expressed it. _'Okay, so Wash was dropped along with Yoroi Musha but who are the new people? Mirko and Kamui Woods. I've seen Mirko in action before but man she must have done some amazing things to rise all the way to number six! But who is Kamui Woods? I never heard of him, he must be really strong to make it into eighth place. A lot has happened!'_

Satshi continued after letting his green-eyed pupil have a moment to think about the new heroes. "But that's not what we need to talk about... Have you ever heard of the villain rankings?"

The black-haired sensei got his response when Izuku cast a look of pure confusion. Izuku had never thought a whole lot about the villains that always got beat up, he really only thought about the heroes that saved the day. Honestly, in the past, he was almost obsessed with them, to the verge of almost making notebooks full of notes on them.

"Clearly you don't. Okay, so not many people know this but there are rankings for villain out there but these are based purely on strength. Listen up because what I'm about to tell you is important for the future if you really want to take down All for One. There are five levels to villains, S, A, B, C, D, with S being the strongest and D being the weakest. Someone like Toxic Chainsaw would be an S level villain, while a common convenience store robber or even a low-level henchman reside in the D category. I will say this now though... All for One is in a category of his own, just as All Might is in a category of his own but I think if we put our brains to it taking All for One can be done, but it won't be easy. One slip up and your probably dead, no matter who you are. Are you following me?"

It was evident that Izuku was paying rapt attention and cataloging every piece of information in his brain. It wasn't too hard to understand, five levels and the stronger the villain is the higher their level. He has always stored a lot of information in his brain, all that obsessing over heroes left his brain pretty susceptible to information.

"Now that we are talking about villains I want to address some things. Not all villains are evil."

Satshi watched his pupil increasingly become angrier. The eyebrows were deeply furrowed and anger flashed in his eyes, but before Izuku could retort the older man stuck a pale hand up asking for patience.

"I know how you feel. The only villains you have encountered or heard about were ruthless, death-loving, evil people. The man that murdered your mother and tortured you, the man that was supposed to be your father then ran away just to burn his entire home town to the ground, All for One the head of all crime. Each and every one of them are bad people but sometimes there is no choice... Think of Esomi..." Satshi didn't let Izuku's sharp intake of air stop his explanation.

"He was not willing to be a villain but he was willing to do whatever it took to keep his brother safe. So no, not all villains are evil, yes some may just like stealing and killing but it's not so black and white. A lot of things factor into why someone does what they do."

"You have to remember that in this day and age a lot revolves around quirks. Now imagine a child is born with a quirk that requires them to cause others pain to use it or all it's really good for is causing others harm. I would imagine that that child would grow up being taunted and bullied about how "evil" their quirk is or how they were going to be the next villain. There are many outcomes that can happen, they can go for revenge, they can try to ignore it all but eventually, they just snap, for those villains, I wouldn't put them in jail I would get them some mental help. The child could actually like the quirk and not know why they were getting bullied they would use it to try and understand only for it to lead them into villainy. That child could probably end up as a forced recruit, a villain forces them to join their group and either they can work for them or die. Other times, after being shunned by everyone else for so long they join other villains just to feel welcomed, where they don't feel everyone else's judgemental eyes... What I'm trying to say Izuku is that not everyone is who you think they are. You understand?"

Izuku really thought about it and he realized that Sensei was right. Not everyone just wants to be a villain. Some don't even want to be a villain at all. _'How could I be so ignorant? Now I'm ignorant and useless, great. I should really think more.'_

"I do Sensei, from now on I'll remember that not everybody's situations are the same and not be so judgemental without proof. That was very ignorant of me."

"Not to worry, as long as you now understand. Sadly your previous thought process is the norm, that all villains are terrible people that love to put others in danger and do whatever they want. But enough about all that..." The shit-eating grin spread across Satshi's face drastically changed the mood.

"Let's talk about your training. I've thought about it and here's what is going to happen. In the morning you will wake up at eight o'clock sharp, eat whatever breakfast I prepare, you will then run, not walk or jog, run to Dogabah Municipal Beach Park and clean up all the trash there until the entire beach is cleared, when there are two hours left until we return you will use only your quirk to lift things and then at around three in the afternoon we will begin martial arts where I will teach you many styles until you come up with your own. At eight p.m. we will stop and you will work on academic work along with analysis work until eleven p.m. where you have one hour before lights out. That will be the schedule for the next year you stay with me, no breaks, rinse and repeat. Alright?"

Izuku already felt tired and he knew his voice came out as nothing more than a wheeze. "Okay."

* * *

Izuku followed Sensei's list exactly, and in 8 months he had finally finished the beach and gotten proficient in all the martial arts Sensei taught; since he started he had become a lot smarter, he was definitely years ahead of his age and because of that martial arts was easier than it should have been. He was a fast learner and adapted to new things easily. He had a little trouble with the schedule at first but he quickly fell into the schedule until it was routine for him.

Izuku had also changed, he was in amazing shape, his hair was longer, to the point he could put it in a ponytail and he was a little bit taller than before. Also, he was more attentive and quickly realized that there wasn't enough time in a day to do everything he wanted so he had to use the most of it. He focused on his priorities and the things he enjoyed.

Izuku remembered when he first entered that garbage-filled beach. He had been shocked and slightly fearful of his new task but Sensei had spared him no remorse and told him to start working right away. The work was grueling and tiring and straining but every foot of sand and water that came into view after he would clear an area was worth. He had gotten better at using his quirk too. He could pick up and move around a lot more things than before.

When he had finished cleaning all of the garbage off of the beach he thought that the beach was simply beautiful. Miles of blue ocean stretched all the way to the horizon and soft sand littered the ground. Too bad he was only allowed one chance to enjoy it.

Izuku remembered the martial arts lessons. After he had gotten the movements and down in a relatively short time Sensei immediately came at him with sparring. The pupil had gotten many, many harsh bruises and bloody cut from the spars and every day he would go to sleep on the hard floor with aching muscles and bones. At least he had gotten used to the bed.

Sensei noticed that Izuku preferred punching so much that he would barely kick, so like any good teaching he taught him many different kicking styles and open-hand styles that could go along with his punching. Eventually, Izuku started to mix different styles and moves and came up with his own style. He named it Shoot Style. With the use of the style, Izuku had even gotten Sensei to go on the defensive for a bit.

At the moment Izuku was waking up after his first-ever break day that he had gotten the previous day. Yesterday had been his first and only time to enjoy the amazing beach that he had cleaned. He spent the whole time lounging around on the sand even if it was mid-December and the air was chilly. He just had to wear a sweater and he was alright. He was extremely glad that it had barely snowed this winter.

When he made his way down the stairs he caught Sensei looking at something in his hand. Once he got closer he noticed it was a photo, it was square and looked reasonably old. It was clear that the photo was important because Sensei had a sad expression on his face.

"Who is that Sensei?"

Satshi hadn't even jumped in surprise or anything before he responded. It really showed that his Sensei was always ready for a fight. "My late wife..." Satshi carefully handed it to Izuku who took it in his gentle but calloused hands. "Beautiful, isn't she?"

Izuku quietly nodded his whilst staring at the photo in his hands. A young lady with white hair that looked pink from the angle, sat on a wooden bench smiling at the camera showing off her pearly white teeth. Deep blue eyes twinkled at the camera. Izuku couldn't help but think, _'She's way too pretty for Sensei.'_

Izuku was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Sensei chuckle. He probably mumbled again, it was pretty rare when he would mumble out his thoughts instead of keeping them in his head but it would happen sometimes.

"She was, she really was," Satshi had a soft smile on his face before it changed to a more devious one. "But don't think I didn't notice what you said, how about we skip all the relaxing and go straight into your new schedule?"

Izuku gulped in fear and nervousness.

"Now I'm not going to lie, you really surprised me. I had totally thought that you would finish the beach in a year but you did it in 8 months. Congratulations! So now we have 4 more months before you go to your where your father is and sadly your not strong enough to survive yet. So we need to start on bigger and better things... Weapons!"

Immediately Sensei shot out of his seat and ran upstairs with Izuku right on his tail. Sensei dashed across the room and flicked the secret door switch. Izuku could tell Sensei had been waiting a long time to do this. Once the secret wall was removed Sensei gave out a content sigh while Izuku smirked happily.

"Welcome! To my Weapon Wall!" Sensei shouted in a deep commanding voice. It was clear he was trying to make a show out of this.

Izuku sweatdropped. "How long have you waited to do that?"

"Eh. Shut up..." Sensei responded out-of-character before quickly going back to his previous tone of voice. "Now I have already chosen weapons for you!"

Sensei's comment threw Izuku's happiness out the window. He glared at his teacher.

"What are you talking about? I don't get to pick? No. You'll give me a crap weapon."

Sensei threw a glared right back at his ungrateful pupil and stopped trying to do his presentation. He had honestly been waiting a long time to do that and this ungrateful twerp ruined it.

"Why you! Whatever! You are going to learn to use the bo staff, katana and those toothpicks you like so much."

Izuku was about to retort before he snapped his mouth shut. _'Those are actually not bad. Actually, those are really good!'_

Sensei wore a smug expression as he continued on. "Hmph! I knew you'd like that so let's get started. Grab a bo staff and prepare to die."

Izuku didn't move from his spot, he only response was a deadpanned face to which Sensei dejectedly sighed at. "Just... Just grab the bo staff."

* * *

"So... You think you're some big shot now aye...?" Sensei and Izuku stare across the training room (also Izuku's bedroom) at each other with heated glares prepared for action. Nostrils flare in trepidation for what the other might do. "You find one photo and now you think you can handle this?"

The opponents sized each other up. Sensei was clothed in his typical loose white shirt that usually resides underneath his long black cloak. Along with baggy black pants. Izuku dressed in a new outfit, a dark black hoodie with his green scarf flowing behind him by his neck. Over his torso, he wore a red fanny pack that reached from his left shoulder to under his right shoulder and back around (like a tighter messenger bag), the color matching with his signature red shoes. Across his back laid an all-black bo staff about a third of the size of his body in an 'X' position crossing over his light green sheath that held his katana. His dark forest green, commonly mistaken for black, pants fit him nicely but also allowed for movement.

Izuku was low in his fighting stance, ready to fight if need be; he would prefer if they didn't fight, no need for him to get beaten up. "Well I just want some answers and you aren't giving me them... If we fight for the answers we fight for the answers. Not a big deal. I've got gotten my bo staff skills to almost mastery, I'm still working on the katana but I'm proficient with it either way, and I could very likely knock you out with a well-placed toothpick if you are not careful." Izuku was spewing crap honestly. There was no way he could beat Sensei yet.

He had at least gotten Sensei to use his quirk most of the time recently. It was a sight to see indeed. After a thorough interrogation, Sensei explained to Izuku that his quirk was named _Burning Fat_. He takes the fats stored in his body (so the lipids and all that fun biology class stuff) and converts it to heat energy that boosts just about all his attributes plus flames that he can moderately control (he can only shoot them out of his body in straight lines). It's a sight because his Sensei gradually gets skinnier as he uses his quirk but he's also covered in flames. In Izuku's opinion, it's an awesome quirk with lots of benefits but the downside is that if overused results in death. If all his fats run out, it starts running off of other important bodily things and because it's not supposed to he would die. So now Izuku is aware of why his Sensei liked to eat so much.

"I kind of feel like wasting some pounds anyway, so let's go, _tough guy_."

Early that day as Izuku was in the crafting room (name pending) installing a sort of beacon on his toothpicks, katana and bo staff that would allow him to sense wherever in a 60 foot (or about 18 meters) radius that object is. It worked off of wavelength frequencies in the air that his quirk worked at and after vigorous training, he is now able to target said object without even looking with his quirk.

After successfully installing it he looked over towards a couple of books he seemed to have missed in his whole 4 months of being in and out of the crafting room (they hadn't found a name yet). There, upon a pile of books laid a single photo.

In was a girl not much older than him with bubblegum pink hair deep violet eyes that molded well with her pale complexion. He had to wonder who she was but Izuku had an inkling.

After thinking about why he was even in this situation, challenging his Sensei for an answer he swiftly pulled out his katana making sure to hold it in such a way that the blunt side would inflict all the damage. Izuku did not want to appear as though he wanted to actually cut his Sensei up lest his Sensei pay him back in full.

"Good! A smooth draw of the blade is the first half of the fight between swordsman, it would cost you dearly for it to get caught on the sheath." Sensei quickly snatched a similar katana off the wall ready for action.

Not waiting for a signal to begin Izuku launched towards Sensei with his katana in an upwards slashing motion trying to begin the dance of swords.

For a few minutes, the swordplay continued through the room, steel hitting steel, attacks against blocks.

Izuku stayed on the defensive for quite some time. He blocked a slash towards his left shoulder before he saw his Sensei's stomach start to shrink slightly. Immediately Izuku was flung back, landing on skidding shoes from his teacher's burst of strength.

"Good! Focus on your breathing a little more, you need to be in sync and in tune with your movements as well as your body."

Izuku stood across from his seemingly relaxed and nondisturbed master, slightly panting with a sheen of sweat across his forehead. He quickly unzipped his fanny pack in a fluid motion and his eyes glowed his powered red as a couple of toothpicks floated up into the sky before flying through the sky at fast speeds towards his Sensei. Sensei slightly shifted his foot before batting the toothpicks away with the flat side of the katana.

Using the toothpicks as a distraction, Izuku sped in close towards his teacher, while simultaneously closing his fanny pack, hoping to get a few hits in before he regained his bearings. Sadly, as soon as he got close with his katana aimed at Sensei's right side, the katana seemingly disappeared out of his hand before being flung towards the right side of the room, way out of Izuku's reach.

"One of the stupidest mistakes you can make is losing your blade. It should be nothing less than an extension of your arm."

Sensei didn't relent when his student's katana left his hand, he pushed on. Izuku was engaged in a hand versus sword battle. He couldn't do much against his teacher's well-placed hits. He could already feel his shoulders and ribs bruising. He was extremely lucky his Sensei was using the blunt side or he would have been in pieces by now.

Trying to get out of his predicament Izuku quickly swept low at Sensei's legs hoping to get them out from under him but unexpectedly Sensei caught the leg with his own leg, kicked Izuku's leg up to hand and proceeded to try and through Izuku onto his back. Izuku quickly flipped upside down in mid-air, placing his hands on the ground before finishing his by pushing off his hands and landing on his feet. As soon as he landing Sensei was practically on top of him with katana raised high above his head, aiming to cause a finishing blow to Izuku's head. But as soon as it came down Izuku's hands shot up and clapped over the blade stopping the steel from potentially knocking him out.

In the end, Sensei stood over Izuku with his blade extended while Izuku was down on one knee, breathing heavily with the blade caught between his palms inches above his head.

"Yes...!" Sensei spontaneously shouted with a sprout grin stretch across his face. "Good work, my boy! I do believe you gained your answers."

"Ha... thank you... ha!" Izuku responded back slightly out of breath and reasonably tired.

With the fight done Sensei places his sword back on the wall, having barely broken a sweat, while Izuku slid his into its proper holding place on his back. Sensei slowly walked back over to Izuku and carefully grabbed the picture Izuku had previously found.

"This... is my daughter."

_'I thought it was. Because if you look at it kind of makes sense. I remember all those months ago seeing his late wife's picture but it seems the child_ _got mixtures of their traits. Sensei's dark feature combined with his late wife's light features. His wife past away. What happened to his daughter? Is it her room that Sensei said to never open?' _Izuku thought to himself.

"Where... is she? I mean, that is her room downstairs, right?" The green-haired boy tried to question without being to blunt or he might bring up awful memories of his daughter.

Satshi gathered his thought before he reluctantly released them as words to Izuku. "She... left. She said something about goals but I think she just wanted to have fun. I have a couple of clues as to where she is so I'll go looking for her soon."

"What type of clues? Are you close to finding her?"

Satshi appreciated the worry glint in his pupil's eyes but it was his burden to worry about. "You didn't earn that kid. But... I do know what you did earn. Meet me in the living room in a couple of minutes."

Izuku patiently waited on the couch for his Sensei. It had been years since he's felt this... giddy but that feeling needed to leave. This was serious and important. Izuku steeled himself for the confrontation with his father.

Satshi entered the room. "Before we get started I've got a question," Izuku nodded in acceptance, "What's your name?"

Izuku's eyes widened before resolutely narrowing. "It's not Deku. I'm not useless anymore. I can fight. I can fight _and_ win. I'm Izuku."

"Izuku Midoriya?"

Izuku's fist tightened on reflex before he loosened them, "I-I still need to have a conversation with my father."

Satshi chuckled. "Wow. You've grown quite a lot since coming here. I've got your answer."

Izuku waited.

"Bonzo."

Izuku blinked, "What? How? The whole place was leveled by him."

"Or so he wanted people to think. Nothing works better as a hiding spot than practically taking it off the map."

**Ok, first time trying somewhat of a fight scene. Gimme some tips please, good and bad. I want to get better. I read some good fanfics of fight scenes so I know this could be better but I need feedback to do it. **

**I'm very sorry to the few people who actually read this. I took ages to get this out and even then it's not very good. It's straight poopoo doo doo caca stinky fart and then some, so I'm sorry.**

**But hey! I'm back and were off to Bonzo [fictional place I created mini TM]**

**Please review and stuff;)**

**Bye!**


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